Essays on Explanation and Understanding

The present anthology consists of contributions to the philosophy of the humanities and the social sciences by European and American scholars. These writers represent not only the analytical tradition but also hermen- eutic philosophy and Marxism. Of the papers included in this volume those by Professors Bubner, Hintikka, Kron, Tuomela, Kenny, Stoutland, Martin, and Niiniluoto were presented at an international colloquium on explanation and under- standing held in Helsinki, Finland, on January 24-26, 1974. In addition to these papers, all the others, except Professor Winch's, were written specially for this anthology and have not been published before. Most of the papers are related to the work of Professor Georg Henrik von Wright in this philosophical field. The anthology includes an essay by Professor von Wright himself, together with his extensive replies to his commentators. In these replies he elaborates and, to some extent, revises his earlier views. On the whole, the anthology reflects the on-going con- frontation of the analytical and continental trends. It produces new philo- sophical and methodological ideas and results concerning the theory of human action, intentionality, understanding, causality, and determinism. Basil Blackwell Publishing House has kindly permitted the reprinting of Professor Winch's paper, originally published in Metaphilosophy 4 (1973), pp. 63-75. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the University of Helsinki, the Philosophical Society of Finland, and the Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen Kulttuurirahasto), which made pos- sible the Helsinki colloquium.