“An Illocutionary Theory of Explanation” is reprinted by permission from my The Nature of Explanation (Oxford University Press, 1983), 1, 6-19, 23-28, 42-56.

I argue that one must understand the concept of explanation in terms of an illocutionary act of explaining, for which I provide a general account. Material in section 3 on “Understanding and content” presupposes definitions introduced in chapter 1, section 9.

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More on the topic “An Illocutionary Theory of Explanation” is reprinted by permission from my The Nature of Explanation (Oxford University Press, 1983), 1, 6-19, 23-28, 42-56.: