Mathematical Explanation: a contextual approach

The philosophical analysis of mathematical explanation concerns, among others, the question how one can distinguish explanatory from non-explanatory proofs. In this paper, we introduce an epistemic reading of mathematical explanation, which not only clarifies its link with mathematical understanding, but leads us to explicate some contextual factors governing explanation. We discuss several accounts of mathematical explanation, and demonstrate how they can be read in this approach. Finally, we adopt a pluralistic stance as a heuristic guideline for investigation on mathematics.

Publication year:2017

Keywords:Mathematical explanation, Mathematical understanding, Contextualism, Pluralism