Counterexamples to the DN Account of Explanation
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Counterexamples to the DN Account of Explanation
There are many difficulties with the deductive nomological account of explanation. Specifically there are three types of counterexamples to the DN account of explanation. These counterexamples are common cause, covariation, and over determination.
The common cause counterexamples show that although two events are seen together doesn't mean that one is the reason for or causes the other. Even if these two events are commonly or always seen together, one of the events is not responsible for the other. The DN account of explanation takes these two common events and determines the order in which they occur and then gives them a cause and effect relationship. There may be a common explanation that is the reason for the two events. There is a single cause and multiple effects essentially. If this is not taken into account when trying to give a chronological cause and effect relationship between two events, then the DN account of explanation breaks down.
The covariation counterexample meets all the requirements of the DN account of explanation, but it doesn't seem to explain them...