The Beginning of Infinity

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Bad Explanation

A bad explanation is unspecific. You can change any or all of the details without destroying it.

Examples of bad explanations:

  • Thunder is caused by Thor's anger
  • Day and nights were created by God dividing the light on the first day of creation
  • Summer is caused by Persephone's annual re-uniting with her mother Demeter.

In the above examples you could change any of the variables and the explantation would make sense.

  • Thunder is caused by Zeus' anger
  • Day and nights were created by God dividing the light on the last day of creation
  • Hades is distracted when Persephone leaves, and forgets to cool the planet.

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Explanation

A statement about what is there, what it does, and how and why. Predictions about what is going to happen next are insufficient explanations.

Good Explanation

A good explanation is Hard to vary while still accounting for what it purports to account for.

Hard to vary

A hard-to-vary explanation provides specific details that fit together so tightly that it is impossible to change any detail without affecting the whole theory. A Good Explanation is hard-to-vary whereas a with a Bad Explanation you could vary the details without affecting the explanation.