Editing Explanation (section)

== Explanations vs. arguments ==
{{Main|Argument}}
The difference between explanations and arguments reflects a difference in the kind of question that arises. In the case of arguments, we start from a doubted fact, which we try to support by arguments. In the case of explanations, we start with an accepted fact, the question being why is this fact or what caused it. The answer here is the explanation.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Argument-Explanation Complementarity and the Structure of Informal Reasoning|journal=Informal Logic|url=https://www.csus.edu/indiv/m/mayesgr/Scribble/Explanation%20Stuff/ArgumentExplanationComplementarity.pdf|last=Mayes|first=Gregory|volume=30|year=2010|page=92|doi=10.22329/il.v30i1.419|doi-access=free}}</ref>

For instance, if Fred and Joe address the issue of whether or not Fred's cat has fleas, Joe may state: "Fred, your cat has fleas. Observe the cat is scratching right now." Joe has made an argument that the cat has fleas. However, if Fred and Joe agree on the fact that the cat has fleas, they may further question why this is so and put forth an explanation: "The reason the cat has fleas is that the weather has been damp." The difference is that the attempt is not to settle whether or not some claim is true, but to show why it is true. In this sense, arguments aim to contribute knowledge, whereas explanations aim to contribute understanding.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

While arguments attempt to show that something is, will be, or should be the case, explanations try to show ''why'' or ''how'' something is or will be. If Fred and Joe address the issue of ''whether'' or not Fred's cat has fleas, Joe may state: "Fred, your cat has fleas. Observe the cat is scratching right now." Joe has made an ''argument that'' the cat has fleas. However, if Fred and Joe agree on the fact that the cat has fleas, they may further question ''why'' this is so and put forth an ''explanation'': "The reason the cat has fleas is that the weather has been damp." The difference is that the attempt is not to settle whether or not some [[claim (logic)|claim]] is true, but to show ''why'' it is true.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

Arguments and explanations largely resemble each other in [[rhetoric]]al use. This is the cause of much difficulty in [[critical thinking|thinking critically]] about [[proposition|claims]]. There are several reasons for this difficulty.

* People often are not themselves clear on whether they are arguing for or explaining something.
* The same types of words and phrases are used in presenting explanations and arguments.
* The terms 'explain' or 'explanation,' et cetera are frequently used in arguments.
* Explanations are often used within arguments and presented so as to serve ''as arguments''.