Scientific realism

Scientific realism is the view that knowledge is based on an objective mind-independent reality. The universe is considered to resemble the way that science describes it. It holds that the things of the universe such as subatomic particles, microbes, stars, electromagnetic force and so forth exist independently of observation or perception.

Scientific realism attempts to distinguish itself from naive realism through the use of provisional statements. Scientific realists disagree with constructivist epistemology and anti-realism.

Scientific realists evaluate the effectiveness of a theory by its success over time, and the theory contains an explanation as to why it works.

See also instrumentalism - confirmation holism - scientific materialism - critical realism - naive realism

References

Leplin, J. (1984). Scientific Realism. California: University of California Press.

Leplin, J. (1997). A Novel Defense of Scientific Realism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Polkinghorne, J. (1991). Reason and Reality. SPCK.