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Unification and mathematical explanation

Rob Fraser Orcid Logo

Philosophical Studies, Volume: 178, Issue: 12, Pages: 3923 - 3943

Swansea University Author: Rob Fraser Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1007/s11098-021-01631-2

Abstract

This paper provides a sorely-needed evaluation of the view that mathematical explanations in science explain by unifying. Illustrating with some novel examples, I argue that the view is misguided. For believers in mathematical explanations in science, my discussion rules out one way of spelling out...

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Published in: Philosophical Studies
ISSN: 0031-8116 1573-0883
Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2021
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa68390
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spelling 2025-02-13T13:23:38.2862623 v2 68390 2024-11-29 Unification and mathematical explanation b672bd356b55dba1f5d104300a083215 0000-0002-1475-1863 Rob Fraser Rob Fraser true false 2024-11-29 SOSS This paper provides a sorely-needed evaluation of the view that mathematical explanations in science explain by unifying. Illustrating with some novel examples, I argue that the view is misguided. For believers in mathematical explanations in science, my discussion rules out one way of spelling out how they work, bringing us one step closer to the right way. For non-believers, it contributes to a divide-and-conquer strategy for showing that there are no such explanations in science. My discussion also undermines the appeal to unifying power in support of the enhanced indispensability argument. Journal Article Philosophical Studies 178 12 3923 3943 Springer Science and Business Media LLC 0031-8116 1573-0883 Mathematical explanation; Unification; Explanatory power; Intuitions; Methodology 1 12 2021 2021-12-01 10.1007/s11098-021-01631-2 COLLEGE NANME Social Sciences School COLLEGE CODE SOSS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee British Academy pf160035 2025-02-13T13:23:38.2862623 2024-11-29T11:36:58.6049131 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations Rob Fraser 0000-0002-1475-1863 1 68390__33301__09fde93486cc4fa7878c1544cebb8d3b.pdf 68390.VoR.pdf 2025-01-13T13:55:29.4172380 Output 342689 application/pdf Version of Record true © The Author(s) 2021. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Unification and mathematical explanation
spellingShingle Unification and mathematical explanation
Rob Fraser
title_short Unification and mathematical explanation
title_full Unification and mathematical explanation
title_fullStr Unification and mathematical explanation
title_full_unstemmed Unification and mathematical explanation
title_sort Unification and mathematical explanation
author_id_str_mv b672bd356b55dba1f5d104300a083215
author_id_fullname_str_mv b672bd356b55dba1f5d104300a083215_***_Rob Fraser
author Rob Fraser
author2 Rob Fraser
format Journal article
container_title Philosophical Studies
container_volume 178
container_issue 12
container_start_page 3923
publishDate 2021
institution Swansea University
issn 0031-8116
1573-0883
doi_str_mv 10.1007/s11098-021-01631-2
publisher Springer Science and Business Media LLC
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Social Sciences - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations
document_store_str 1
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description This paper provides a sorely-needed evaluation of the view that mathematical explanations in science explain by unifying. Illustrating with some novel examples, I argue that the view is misguided. For believers in mathematical explanations in science, my discussion rules out one way of spelling out how they work, bringing us one step closer to the right way. For non-believers, it contributes to a divide-and-conquer strategy for showing that there are no such explanations in science. My discussion also undermines the appeal to unifying power in support of the enhanced indispensability argument.
published_date 2021-12-01T13:58:14Z
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score 11.059359

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