Questions tagged [scientific-realism]
44 questions
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Are there any good non-technical discussions of what a scientific theory is?
So, I'm teaching a course on Scientific Realism in the fall. I wanted to start off with a unit titled "What is a theory?" to make sure all of my students are on the same page and to prepare them for later topics.
The problem I'm having, however, is…
Dennis
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What is the Anti-Realist and Constructionist interpretation of empirical dating methods and existence of the past?
I'm fairly interested in the realism, anti-realism debate and would like to hear, if possible by an anti-realist or constructivist, how dating methods fit into their world view.
As a realist, dating methods give me an actual approximate age of an…
MM8
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What is the underdetermination of theories by evidence, and how does it square with scientific realism?
What is the underdetermination of theories in philosophy of science?
Is it the lack of ability to choose between alternative scientific theories?
If so, how can it be that more than one theory describes the nature correctly? Would it not…
L.M. Student
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Ontic structural realism: what's the difference between 'structures are all there is' and 'all there is are structures'?
I'm a physics student reading a philosophy essay about ontic structural realism and quantum field theory. In that paper, the author presented ontic structural realism(OSR) and radical ontic structural realism(ROSR). The former claims 'Structures are…
IGY
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Is the 'no miracles' argument for scientific realism viciously circular?
Does the no miracles argument for scientific realism commit a fallacy? I've read the claim that because science is abductive, and the no miracles argument proceeds via abduction, it is circular.
Is it viciously circular?
user6917
6
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1 answer
Prominence of Scientific Realism and Anti-Realism
Just what is the current dominant view on the realism/anti-realism debate on the matter of science? I have read from multiple sources that there is a consistent back-and-forth, but does academic philosophy in America lean in favor of any of these…
Quirky Trombone
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Kant's Critique of pure reason vs Aristotle's perfect spheres
The detailed reason in Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason” is sometimes difficult to follow. I wonder if this is relevant:
According to Aristotle, the circles and the spheres are a perfect figures and the heavens are a region of perfection. Therefor…
Mikael Jensen
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5
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How does constructive empiricism differ from instrumentalism?
Constructive empiricism is the belief that science aims to give theories which are empirically adequate (i.e. agree with observables), and accepting a theory means believing that it is empirically adequate.
Instrumentalism is the belief that the…
NNN
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Is it possible to have faith in science while espousing anti-realism?
Realism is the theory that there is a mind-independent reality which we can know and interact with. Anti-realism holds, in general, either that there is no such mind-independent reality or that if there is the mind cannot possibly come to know about…
Bombadil
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In our best scientific theories, is there a difference between "the universe" and "reality"?
In our best scientific theories, is there a difference between "the universe" and "reality"?
Are all scientific realists committed to the idea that there is a mind independent universe that our theories are true of, or can some realists talk about…
user62233
4
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1 answer
Is instrumentalism popular in contemporary philosophy of science?
I've just read about the distinction between instrumentalism and realism in philosophy of science, and would like to know, did instrumentalism gain popularity nowadays?
Yechiam Weiss
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Should scientific realists reject knowledge obtained by psychology?
Psychology wields a fair amount of power in our society - criminals are sentenced or released based on the evidence of psychologists. Employers often rely on psychological tests to determine whether you get the job or not.
As a scientific realist,…
firtydank
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Why do these common counter arguments to direct realism work?
So, I understand Direct Realism to be the idea that our experience (mental activity/sense experience) gives us exact information about matter as it truly is. In other words, objects that exist in the world have the properties that they appear to us…
ProfessorFinesse
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Naturalism and anti-realism in the philosophy of science
I was surprised by the lack of easily accessed discussion on overlap of these popular philosophical terms / ideas. Are they more or less orthogonal?
As I understand it, ontological naturalism says we should believe in the reality of only the…
user62090
3
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3 answers
Subatomic particles and Freud’s subconscious entities
I am thinking about Freud’s id and super-ego and wondered about their scientific aspects.
You might then say that although these entities cannot be observed and therefore don't exist in some sense, but you might say the same thing about the atom and…
Mikael Jensen
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