Analytic versus Synthetic Understanding
Paul Humphreys · Philosophical Papers · 2019
Abstract It is argued that understanding is an epistemically more important concept than explanation. Two kinds of understanding are discussed, that based on analysis of the explanandum and a kind that is based on a synthetic method. The distinction between primary and secondary understanding shows that who is asking the why question is of central importance. A problem for causation is introduced that revolves around the degree of isolation that is needed to identify a causal factor and to distinguish causes from their carriers. It is shown that the analytic and synthetic approach can deal with partial understanding, that there can be an increase in understanding without an explanation, and that laws are not necessary for understanding.