ABSTRACT
WEaresometimespresentedwithastatement describingsomeobservedfact,andwhenwe ask"Why?"wearepresentedwithanother statementwhichissaidtoconstitutean"explanation"ofthefirst.Whatistherelation betweenthesetwostatements?Whatisitthat constitutesthesecondstatementan"explanation"ofthefirst?Byvirtueofwhatdoesit "explain"?Thougheveryoneisconstantlyutteringstatementswhicharesupposedinoneway oranothertoexplain,fewpersonsareatall clearaboutwhatitisthatmakessuchstatementsexplanations. I t issometimesassumedthatwhenweset
outtoexplainanythingwearealwaystrying toanswerthequestion"Why?"Butitshould beevidentatoncethatthisisnotthecase. Weoffermanystatementsasexplanationsalthoughtheydonotanswerthequestion "Why?";theysometimesexplainhow,orwhen, orwho,orwhither;andoftenwhenweare askedtoexplainsomestatementwemerely makeitclearertothelistenerbystatingitin otherwords.Asthewordiscommonlyused, anykindofclarificationislikelytobecalledan explanation;andastatementcanbeclarified inmanydifferentways.
