The practice of explaining

Abstract By offering explanations, we help each other understand the world. But not all explanations are created equal. In this paper, we argue that, while the practice of explaining is unified by its function—the dissemination of understanding—there are different ways to engage in it. We can do so by offering what we call a minimal explanation, a customized explanation, or an interactive explanation. Each of them is appropriate in different contexts and comes with a set of relevant expectations. Moreover, each is guided by a specific norm. Only when we take all these ways of participating in the practice of explaining into account will we be able to spell out what is expected from explainers in different situations. As a result, we will be able to tell good explainers from bad ones by assessing whether they fulfill the relevant norm and thus offer explanations appropriate for a given context.