How to Give Better Explanations
Handout, OCON 2026
EXAMPLE BANK:
(1a) Why hasn’t Ayn Rand had more influence?
Potential explanation: The intellectual institutions (newspapers, magazines, universities) are controlled by anti-capitalists.
(1b) Why is rent down so much in Austin, TX?
Potential explanation: Simple supply and demand: COVID in-migration caused rents to go up; COVID out-migration has pushed them back down.
(2a) Why did Donald Trump win the 2024 election?
Potential explanation: His appearance on the Joe Rogan show won him the young male vote.
(2b) Why are gas prices going up?
Potential explanation: Greed.
(3) How do hot air balloons fly? (child’s question)
Potential explanation: hot air moves up and the shape of the balloon captures it
(4) How do hot air balloons fly? (shipbuilder’s question)
Potential explanation: buoyancy
TERMINOLOGY:
explanandum: the fact in need of explanation
Exs.: Ayn Rand’s lack of cultural influence; Austin’s declining rents; Trump’s 2024
election victory; rising gas prices; hot air balloon flight
explanatory subject: the existent which bears the property or takes the action occasioning
the need for explanation
Exs: Ayn Rand’s influence; Austin rents; Trump’s electoral performance in 2024;
gas prices; hot air balloons
explanatory genus: the wider class which includes both the explanatory subject and its
contrasts
Exs: the influence of radical thinkers; rents in American cities; presidential elections; gas price during an interval of time; large things that catch air (floating bodies)
explanatory common denominator (ECD): the characteristic(s) which unites members of
the explanatory genus
Exs: radicalness of thought; geographic/cultural/political similarity of city; election results; direction and magnitude of price change; shape of fabric (surrounding medium)
explanatory distinguishing characteristic (EDC): the unique characteristic of the
subject that, when acted upon, causes the explanandum
Exs: radicalness of moral philosophy; housing policy; (perceived) rebellion against orgy of self-sacrifice; war-related supply constraints; specific shape + on-board heat source
PRINCIPLES:
I. Establish the fact.
II. Define the fact at the level of generality which is generating your inability to integrate it with the sum of your knowledge. Do this by making explicit…
i. The explanandum’s subject
ii. The contrasts generating the unaccomplished integration
iii. The attribute/action of the subject that cannot be integrated
iv. The genus of the subject and its contrasts
v. The ECD
III. Formulate explanations at the same level of generality as the explanandum. Do this by…
i. Identifying subject’s EDC which…
ii. when acted upon…
iii. results in the effect named in the explanandum