The papers collected in this volume were delivered at the Royal Institute of Philosophy Conference on ‘Explanation and its Limits’ in September 1989 at the University of Glasgow.

Dr Flint Schier, one of the original organizers of the conference, died in May 1988. He worked hard to prepare a list of speakers. It is sad that he did not see his ideas bear fruit. Readers may judge of the quality of the proceedings from the essays that follow. It is worth reporting in addition that all the discussions were spirited and probing, the company (of scientists and laymen, as well as academic philosophers) was friendly and congenial and the staff of Queen Margaret Hall made sure everyone was welcome and well-fed!

Special thanks are due to the Royal Institute of Philosophy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow for their financial support. Without this generosity we would not have been able to assemble such an impressive, international group of contributors.

Finally, thanks are due to the many people who helped me to organize the conference and prepare this volume, especially Robin Downie, Pat Shaw, Anne Southall, Anne Valentine and Helen Knowles. I should like to thank, too, in advance of publication, the staff of Cambridge University Press on whose good offices I shall continue to presume.