Explanations and Description

Let us examine each of these.

But before we go to argument structure lets look at two things which you ought to differentiate from argument, they are explanation and description.

An explanation is not an argument. Whereas an argument is a series of statements designed to support or establish the truth of an idea, an explanation is a series of statements designed to shed light on some event that is already accepted as a matter of fact.

Technically, an explanation is composed of two parts: the explanandum and the explanans.

The explanandum is the event or phenomenon or thing which is supposed to be explained.

The explanans is the series of statements which is supposed to do the actual explaining.

Here is an example:
1. Smoke appears because of fire: a combination of flammable material, oxygen, and sufficient heat.

The phrase “smoke appears” is the explanandum and the phrase “fire: a combination of flammable material, oxygen, and sufficient heat” is the explanans.

In fact, this explanans itself consists of an entire explanation — “fire” plus the reason why fires happen.

Although people gain much information from their impressions, most matters of fact depend upon reasoning about causes and effects, even though people do not directly experience causal relations. What, then, are causal relations?

According to Hume they have three components: contiguity of time and place (bars and alcohol), temporal priority of the cause (boys and girls - binge), and constant conjunction (condoms - sex).

In order for x to be the cause of y, x and y must exist adjacent to each other in space and time, x must precede y, and x and y must invariably exist together.


Description:
In a description tells us about what a person, place, or thing, or an event was/is like.


Helper Words:
Properties Measurement Analogy Location
size length is like in
colour width resembles above
shape mass/weight below
purpose speed beside
near
north/east/south/west


DESCRIPTIVE WORDS

SOUND
ringing cheeping gasping smashing piercing peeping
whooping tinkling raucous chattering crooning bellowing
sobbing bumping snarling growling pitch crying
thumping burping croaking clattering yapping keening
splashing yelping rustling volume squealing howling
barking sniveling moaning pealing tone rattling
grunting clanging coughing quacking whining gagging
fizzing wheezing honking hissing bawling trumpeting
swishing sneezing rumbling bubbling ripping cooing
chirping shouting shuffling tearing popping roaring
thunderous scratching snorting crashing crunching cackling
tolling clucking silent tapping soothing crowing
tranquil melodious cacophonous singing quiet tune
loud tinkling noisy rhythmic mumbling twittering
din beat blaring cawing racket chattering
murmuring whistling clapping booming whispering mewing
snapping snoring yelling mooing crackling sighing

TOUCH AND TEXTURE
pressed damp fluted tickling sculptured dry
knobbed raw corrugated downy chapped scratchy
dirty grimy sopping itching abrasive dusty
scaled rasping prickly clammy pulpy kiss
scarred glossy wet pocked tweedy matte
moist woolly hard foamy dank patina
gripped burning hairy soft cottony scorching
furry bumpy rocking cushioned fluffy searing
fuzzy boiling sheer sheen scalding stinging
sandy warm shiny polished hot engraved
gritty inlaid soapy bubbly grooved cool
glassy ivory biting sharp rutted piercing
silky numbing velvety smooth freezing steely
keen icy corduroy grainy cold metallic
fine waxy coarse greasy curdled slimy
splintered lacy tangled spiky slippery creamy
matted slick shaggy bushy fiery stubbly

COLOR AND VISUAL QUALITIES
red saffron bright dark scarlet gold
dull light carnelian silver rose chocolate
crimson chrome lilac sienna salmon lime
copper vermilion yellow bronze avocado coral
primrose pale purple lemon canary violet
pink cerise mauve ruddy mahogany topaz
blue amber ebony flushed maroon amethyst
crystalline cyan navy wine white poppy
cobalt burgundy olive fuchsia turquoise claret
drab chartreuse orchid brilliant clear black
obsidian transparent khaki opaque translucent lavender
glassy jet gay rust carmine sapphire
dun cordovan indigo milky tan grizzly
ocher flesh buff brindle umber peach
mustard ultramarine snowy chestnut green smoky
sepia mint brass walnut pearl aqua
ruby emerald twinkling bistre sooty shimmering
jade plum charcoal maize lake iridescent
garnet slate spruce puce magenta sable
pearly aquamarine ivory henna citrine onyx
azure cream orange

SMELL
perfumed lilac earthy stinking fetid loamy
lemon scent odor fragrance sweaty sharp
rose lime rotten biting pungent musty
plastic acrid flowery fishy mildewed spicy
acid moldy doggy nauseating redolent skunky
dirty sweet tart minty moist putrid
sour fresh musty spoiled

PATTERN AND SHAPE
round parallel narrow reticulated crested wide
flat spherical globe rounded shallow drooping
erect dappled rolling orb hemisphere ball
shapely checkered adjacent curved pied concentric
triangle sharp short depressed swollen long
concave pyramid cone convex streamlined sunken
square diagonal contoured protruding banded terrain
horizontal rectangle cube vertical aquiline veined
cylinder depth disc palmate box width
plate pinnate spiked thread height arc
elliptical length worm-like crowned cupped serpentine
girth crescent pentagon breadth sinuous baggy
tight winding spotted oval hexagon octagon
tetrahedral solid lanky corkscrew helix curly
frail polyhedron trapezoid thin fat crystalline
fanned oval pointed plump ovate ellipsoidal