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Explaining and Justifying
Erklären und Begründen
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:24:19
Abstract
In this seminar, differences and interrelations between explanations and justifications are to be discussed in the context of a systematic investigation into the different forms or types of explanations and justifications. In doing so, special attention will be paid to the question of what a scientific explanation is (resp. can be).
Objective
Target of the seminar is a systematic adduction to different forms of explanations and justifications. Furthermore, the more general ability for critical and systematical reflection and treatment of issues and questions of philosophical interest will be developed.
Content
Explanations and justifications (giving reasons for sth.) are central components of our social practice in general, but exceptionally of the scientific practice. As well explanations as justifications give (generally speaking) answers to why-questions. They do so in different ways however: Explanations give an answer to the question, what is the case, particularly why something happened, how ›things‹ hang together, why a given something exists, why something has a certain property or how something functions. Justifications in contrast give an answer to the question, why something is right or good respectively wrong or bad, particularly if an action, a belief, an evaluation, a norm or an intention is permitted, demanded or forbidden, praiseworthy or condemnable, reasonable or unreasonable, useful or futile, warranted or unwarranted. Yet there are also important interrelations: Someone who, in everyday-life or in the sciences, claims to explain something must be able to give reasons for why he/she beliefs so. And someone who wants to explain, why someone acted in a certain way, must refer to the (subjective) reasons out of which he/she acted in that way. On the other hand, by doing so, we don’t yet therewith commit ourselves to the claim, that it really (objectively) is justified to act that way. In the seminar, these differences and interrelations are to be discussed in the context of a systematic investigation into the different forms or types of justification and explanation. In doing so, special attention will be paid to the question, what a scientific explanation is (resp. can be).
Resources
Literature
A literature list, which will contain the textual basis for the seminar, will be handed out at the beginning of the semester. When the number of participants is foreseeable, a 'reader' can be provided.
General Information
- Language
- German
- Levels
- DS , MSC
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| seminar | Erklären und Begründen |
|
2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (In order to be awarded credits, please register under "Pflichtwahlfach GESS"!. The language courses are offered by the ETH and University of Zurich Language Center.)
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