A deductive-nomological model for mathematical scientific explanation

• Author(s): Castro, Eduardo
• Date: 2020
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.6/10379
• Origin: uBibliorum
• Subject(s): Explanation; Mathematics; DN model; Causation; Science
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): uBibliorum

Description

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.