ABSTRACT
Explanation is a means of reducing uncertainty about reality. Explanation implies that there is an interaction between the researcher and reality, based upon an impulse to know about the physical environment and how it behaves. Deciding what is and what is not an explanation implies that there is a set of criteria for judgement. This suggests that explanation is a communal activity based on rules and conventions. At the heart of explanation is a belief in causal relationship being present between entities in reality. Deriving where causality lies, in the succession of events or in the entities, is an important consideration. If causality resides in entities then they take an active role in determining the nature of reality.
