Is an Explanation a Reason?

Abstract

Are reasons and explanations the same things? The paper considers explanations and reasons in a range of contexts and identifies similarities and differences in them. It is suggested that, while the two notions are linked in reasoning, there is a difference of focus, with reasons being concerned with more general principles and explanations being concerned with the application of principles to specific instances. However, in a “model-dependent reality”, there can be explanations, but not ultimate reasons.