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Can an explanation be good by itself or does it depend of the receptor's judgment?

Hi! I'm currently writing an essay and I'd like to open my mind to some other ideas, since I believe I've focused too much on my own ones.

I first wanted to clarify whether an explanation can be good by itself -doesn't matter if It is understood by the receptor or not- or if It depends on the receptor -his previous knowledge, perspective, values, understanding...-.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 1

BenK64

I would say if somebody cannot understand you then you failed to explain.

Reply 2

Picnic1

Your explanation can be highly good but your audience can be technically bad to receive it in its most full form. Know your 'standing' and adjust tone and/or nature of presenting/leading in to argument accordingly (are you employed as a lecturer, is it a talk people have chosen to attend or that has been forced upon them by cirriculum / work training etc?), know what effect what you say or do is likely to have on a) most of your audience and b) the parts of your audience who would already have a casual or deep interest in that topic.

In short, you ask yourself "Who am I in this context? (what I'm expected to be by, say, my boss, versus or complemented by who do I want to be in this context) and "Who are the audience in this context?" (who wanted to be there who are likely to be receptive to at least the logic of my explanation even if they personally prefer to use a different logic to come to another conclusion, who were forced to be there / who are casual observers who might be generally unreceptive to the topic itself, let alone my particular choice of argument and explanation).