Mathematics and Program Explanations

Juha Saatsi

Mathematics and Program Explanations

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Australasian Journal of Philosophy 90 (3):579-584 (2012)

Abstract	Aidan Lyon has recently argued that some mathematical explanations of empirical facts can be understood as program explanations. I present three objections to his argument
Keywords	Mathematical explanation Indispensability argument Mathematical platonism
Categories	Explanation in Mathematics in Philosophy of Mathematics Indispensability Arguments in Mathematics in Philosophy of Mathematics Mathematical Platonism in Philosophy of Mathematics (categorize this paper)
DOI	10.1080/00048402.2012.665374
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References found in this work BETA

Weaseling Away the Indispensability Argument.J. Melia - 2000 - Mind 109 (435):455-480.

The Enhanced Indispensability Argument: Representational Versus Explanatory Role of Mathematics in Science.Juha Saatsi - 2011 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 62 (1):143-154.

Mathematical Explanations Of Empirical Facts, And Mathematical Realism.Aidan Lyon - 2012 - Australasian Journal of Philosophy 90 (3):559-578.

Program Explanation: A General Perspective.Frank Jackson & Philip Pettit - 1990 - Analysis 50 (2):107-17.

A Role for Mathematics in the Physical Sciences.Chris Pincock - 2007 - Noûs 41 (2):253-275.

View all 8 references / Add more references

Citations of this work BETA

Abstract Explanations in Science.Christopher Pincock - 2015 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 66 (4):857-882.

Optimisation and Mathematical Explanation: Doing the Lévy Walk.Sam Baron - 2014 - Synthese 191 (3).

The Explanatory Dispensability of Idealizations.Sam Baron - 2016 - Synthese 193 (2):365-386.

Good Weasel Hunting.Robert Knowles & David Liggins - 2015 - Synthese 192 (10):3397-3412.

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