explanation

Definition of explanation in English English dictionary: An excuse, apologetic justification not based on enough evidence
Hoover supporters' explanations and former status rarely save him from modern ridicule as a useless expense.; The act or process of explaining
The explanation was long and drawn-out.; Something that explains, makes understandable
An explanation for each UFO sighting was easily found.; {n} illustration, interpretation; If you give an explanation of something, you give details about it or describe it so that it can be understood. Haig was immediately impressed by Charteris's expertise and by his lucid explanation of the work. In philosophy, set of statements that makes intelligible the existence or occurrence of an object, event, or state of affairs. Among the most common forms of explanation are causal explanation (see causation), deductive-nomological explanation (see covering-law model), which involves subsuming the explanandum under a generalization from which it may be derived in a deductive argument (e.g., "All gases expand when heated; this gas was heated; therefore, this gas expanded") and statistical explanation, which involves subsuming the explanandum under a generalization that gives it inductive support (e.g., "Most people who use tobacco contract cancer; this person used tobacco; therefore, this person contracted cancer"). Explanations of human behaviour typically appeal to the subject's beliefs and desires, as well as other facts about him, and proceed on the assumption that the behaviour in question is rational (at least to a minimum degree). Thus an explanation of why the subject removed his coat might cite the fact that the subject felt hot, that the subject desired to feel cooler, and that the subject believed that he would feel cooler if he took off his coat; A mutual exposition of terms, meaning, or motives, with a view to adjust a misunderstanding, and reconcile differences; reconciliation; agreement; as, to come to an explanation; Used when someone changes behavior drastically because of some major event that changes that person's life; * Explanations of human actions typically make reference to the agent's reasons or motive for some action For example, Chris went to the bookstore to buy a text book Causes are usually cited only for human actions that are not intentional, such as falling A person's falling might be causally explained by the slipperiness of the road surface, the person having been pushed, or drugged, or having a heart attack A person's falling with acceleration a would be explained in terms of the gravitational field in which the person was falling Notice that in certain contexts, notably ordinary life and law, it is often the unusual that is explained, but scientific explanation is usually explanation of typical behavior; the act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible; "I heard his explanation of the accident; The act of explaining, expounding, or interpreting; the act of clearing from obscurity and making intelligible; as, the explanation of a passage in Scripture, or of a contract or treaty; "the explanation was very simple"; "I expected a brief account" the act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible; "I heard his explanation of the accident; Explanations of human actions typically make reference to the agent's reasons or motive for some action For example, Chris went to the bookstore to buy a text book Causes are usually cited only for human actions that are not intentional, such as falling A person's falling might be causally explained by the slipperiness of the road surface, the person having been pushed, or drugged, or having a heart attack A person's falling with acceleration a would be explained in terms of the gravitational field in which the person was falling Notice that in certain contexts, notably ordinary life and law, it is often the unusual that is explained, but scientific explanation is usually explanation of typical behavior; an account characteristically telling us why something exists or happens, or must exist or happen The covering law model of explanation proposed by Hempel has been widely influential, but has many critics There are controversies over the nature of functional or teleological explanation, over the legitimacy of inferring to the best explanation, and over Dilthey's contrast between scientific explanation and historical understanding; The meaning attributed to anything by one who explains it; definition; interpretation; sense; thought that makes something comprehensible; A claim that seeks to tell why or how a given claim should be true; distinct from an argument for a claim and from a justification of an action; A rhetorical purpose which emphasizes information, analysis, and audience understanding rather than arguments, persuasion and audience satisfaction Explanatory prose relies on direct material referents, measurements, scientific scales, and inference testing; "the explanation was very simple"; "I expected a brief account"; Something that explains; thought that makes something comprehensible a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc; the act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible; "I heard his explanation of the accident"; If you give an explanation of something that has happened, you give people reasons for it, especially in an attempt to justify it. She told the court she would give a full explanation of the prosecution's decision on Monday `It's my ulcer,' he added by way of explanation; {i} interpretation, something that explains or clarifies, description; text that explains how a system or machine works Should be written in a straightforward, logical manner; I say conception rather than perception, because the word perception seems to imply that the mind is passive in respect to the object; whereas conception seems to express an activity of the mind; If you say there is an explanation for something, you mean that there is a reason for it. The deputy airport manager said there was no apparent explanation for the crash It's the only explanation I can think of. = reason; A principle or proposition in terms of which some other propositions or events can be understood; the process by which such clarification is produced; a statement giving reasons for something or details of something; A structure, act, or process that provides understanding <Discussion> < References> Paul Thagard; a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc ; "the explanation was very simple"; "I expected a brief account"; gives details about the meanings of the parameters and also gives other information about how the script function operates; If necessary, an explanation or clarification of the critical components will be provided Additional remarks or comments about the compulsory and a list of additional components the compulsory is meant to test may also be provided This section is not meant to describe the compulsory figure in detail; Diagrams / Maps Help; What it says Divided into theoretic, justification, description, and instruction subtypes; information that helps you understand something (e g He gave an explanation on how to use the computer ); That which explains or makes clear; as, a satisfactory explanation; A stage in the 5-E model where the teacher introduces formal vocabulary or students verbalize understanding about the explorations in which they have been involved
as an explanation: as a clarification, as a statement of reason
demanded an explanation: asked for an explanation forcefully
explanations: Plural of explanation
satisfactory explanation: explanation that suffices, good explanation
without any explanation: without an interpretation, in a manner that cannot be explained