Explanation vs. Justification — What's the Difference?

Focuses on detailing the process or reasons behind events.

Often involves ethical, moral, or practical reasoning.

A statement that makes something clear by describing the relevant facts or ideas.

Used in persuasive or argumentative settings.

Common in educational and informational contexts.

A statement or argument that defends or supports a specific action or decision.

Used to increase understanding without implying correctness or endorsement.

Aims to demonstrate the appropriateness or necessity of an action.

Objective and based on facts or logical deductions.

Subjective and can vary based on individual or cultural values.

An explanation is a set of statements usually constructed to describe a set of facts which clarifies the causes, context, and consequences of those facts. This description may establish rules or laws, and may clarify the existing rules or laws in relation to any objects, or phenomena examined.Explanation, in philosophy, is a set of statements that makes intelligible the existence or occurrence of an object, event, or state of affairs.

The act of justifying.

The act or process of explaining

The condition or fact of being justified.

Something that explains

Something, such as a fact or circumstance, that justifies

A mutual clarification of misunderstandings; a reconciliation.

(countable) A reason, explanation, or excuse which someone believes provides convincing, morally acceptable support for behavior or for a belief or occurrence.

The act or process of explaining.

The forgiveness of sin.

Something that explains, makes understandable.

The alignment of text to the left margin (left justification), the right margin (right justification), or both margins (full justification).

A resolution of disputed points pursuant to discussion; a mutual clarification of disputed points; reconciliation.

The act of justifying or the state of being justified; a showing or proving to be just or conformable to law, justice, right, or duty; defense; vindication; support; as, arguments in justification of the prisoner's conduct; his disobedience admits justification.

The act of explaining, expounding, or interpreting; the act of clearing from obscurity and making intelligible; as, the explanation of a passage in Scripture, or of a contract or treaty.

The showing in court of a sufficient lawful reason why a party charged or accused did that for which he is called to answer.

That which explains or makes clear; as, a satisfactory explanation.

The act of justifying, or the state of being justified, in respect to God's requirements.

The meaning attributed to anything by one who explains it; definition; interpretation; sense.

Adjustment of type (in printing), or of the final spacing of printed text, by spacing it so as to make it exactly fill a line, or line up at one edge of the allotted portion of the printed page; adjustment of a cut so as to hold it in the right place; also, the leads, quads, etc., used for making such adjustment; as, left justification is the most common format for simple letters, but left and right justification is typically used in books.

A mutual exposition of terms, meaning, or motives, with a view to adjust a misunderstanding, and reconcile differences; reconciliation; agreement; as, to come to an explanation.

Something (such as a fact or circumstance) that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary;

A statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.;

A statement in explanation of some action or belief

Thought that makes something comprehensible

The act of defending or explaining or making excuses for by reasoning;

The act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible;

Distinguishing between them is crucial for clear communication, ensuring the receiver understands whether the intent is to inform or to persuade.

The main difference lies in their purposes: an explanation clarifies the how or why of something, aiming for understanding, while a justification defends the rightness or necessity of an action.

Yes, an explanation can lead into a justification if it starts to defend or support the actions being explained.

In science, explanations are vital for describing and understanding phenomena, often leading to further hypotheses and studies.

Writing a justification in a professional setting should involve clear, logical reasoning that aligns with organizational or professional standards and values.

While justifications often include subjective elements such as values and ethics, they can also involve objective data to support claims of necessity or efficiency.

Cultural values and norms can significantly influence what is considered a valid justification, as they shape perceptions of morality and appropriateness.

An action considered incorrect by some can still be justified under certain perspectives or circumstances, depending on the arguments and values presented.

Explanations help in learning by breaking down complex information into understandable parts, facilitating comprehension and retention.

A strong justification convincingly demonstrates that an action was appropriate or necessary, often using both ethical reasoning and practical evidence.