"Arguments aim to contribute knowledge, whereas explanations aim to contribute
understanding.
Arguments and explanations largely resemble each other in rhetorical use. This
is the cause of much difficulty in thinking critically about claims. There are
several reasons for this difficulty."
"Explanatory power is the ability of a theory to effectively explain the
subject matter it pertains to. One theory is sometimes said to have more
explanatory power than another theory about the same subject matter if it
offers greater predictive power. That is, if it offers more details about what
we should expect to see, and what we should not."
"Explanatory power may also suggest that more details of causal relations are
provided, or that more facts are accounted for. Scientist David Deutsch adds
that a good theory is not just predictive and falsifiable (i.e. testable); a
good explanation also provides specific details which fit together so tightly
that it is difficult to change one detail without affecting the whole theory."
http://www.ted.com/talks/david_deutsch_a_new_way_to_explain_explanation.html
[Ron]
It's one thing to say that each one of us has their own interpretation of a
given explanation but
it's quite another to say that one interpretation is as good as the next and
imply that through
interpretive power no general consensus may be gained as to the most accurate
interpretation
of a given philosophical work. What lends interpretive power is also that which
lends explanatory
power.
A good interpretation provides specific details which fit together so tightly
that it is difficult to
change one detail without affecting the whole theory.
..
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