A deductive-nomological model for mathematical scientific explanation

• Castro, Eduardo ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidade de Lisboa

     Universidade de Lisboa

     Socorro, Portugal

     
• Localización: Principia: an international journal of epistemology, ISSN-e 1808-1711, Vol. 24, Nº. 1, 2020, págs. 1-27
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • I propose a deductive-nomological model for mathematical scientific explanation. In this regard, I modify Hempel’s deductive-nomological model and test it against some of the following recent paradigmatic examples of the mathematical explanation of empirical facts: the seven bridges of Königsberg, the North American synchronized cicadas, and Hénon-Heiles Hamiltonian systems. I argue that mathematical scientific explanations that invoke laws of nature are qualitative explanations, and ordinary scientific explanations that employ mathematics are quantitative explanations. I analyse the repercussions of this deductivenomological model on causal explanations.