To analyze and develop an idea or principle in detail, making it clear and explicit through systematic explanation. It involves unfolding complex concepts to reveal their full meaning and implications.
From Latin 'explicatus,' past participle of 'explicare' meaning 'to unfold' or 'unravel,' composed of 'ex-' (out) and 'plicare' (to fold). The metaphor suggests unfolding something that was previously folded up or hidden.
Think of explication like unfolding an origami crane - you carefully open each fold to reveal the flat paper's original form and understand how it was constructed! Academic explication does the same with complex ideas, showing how all the conceptual 'folds' work together.
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