Argumenta – Journal of Analytic Philosophy

The Pragmatics of Metaphysics Explanation: An Epistemology of Grounding [Special Issue]

Topics: Epistemology, Metaphysics, Ontology, Theoretical philosophy
Keywords: Contrastivity, Essence, grounding, Metaphysical explanation

 

Explanation can be distinguished between linguistic practices and metaphysical relations. At least with respect to metaphysical explanation, some are skeptical that any knowledge gained via explanation qua linguistic practices confers knowledge of explanation qua metaphysical relation. I argue that this skepticism is unfounded. Engaging in the linguistic practice of explanation gives us no reason to skeptical in beliefs about corresponding metaphysical relations like causation or grounding. Moreover, those very linguistic practices can provide resources to justify beliefs in those relations. So, exploring those practices can move us forward in developing an epistemology of grounding and metaphysical explanation.

There is a voluminous and growing literature on grounding. However, the literature on the epistemology of grounding is relatively sparse. There are numerous contributions to the literature addressing questions about the nature of grounding. Is grounding irreflexive? Asymmetric? Transitive? Is grounding well-founded? Is grounding properly expressed as a relation or as an operator? Does grounding relate facts or entities of any ontological category? There aren’t as many contributions addressing questions about how it is that we come to know claims about grounding. This paper is a contribution to the latter project. I will argue that our explanatory practices can confer justification for beliefs about grounding claims, i.e., claims about metaphysical…

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