Scientific realism

Scientific realism is a philosophical viewpoint concerning the nature of science and the truth of scientific theories. It asserts that the world described by science is real and exists independently of our observations, beliefs, and theories. Scientific realism is contrasted with scientific anti-realism, which questions the reality of unobservable entities and the truthfulness of scientific theories.

Overview

Scientific realism holds that the aim of science is to describe and explain the nature of the world accurately. According to this view, scientific theories are not just useful tools or instruments (as proposed by instrumentalism), but true or approximately true descriptions of the world. Scientific realists argue that if a scientific theory is successful, it is likely because it accurately describes some aspect of the world, including entities and processes that may not be directly observable.

Key Components

The doctrine of scientific realism encompasses several key components:

• Ontological Realism: This asserts that the entities posited by scientific theories, such as electrons, genes, and black holes, actually exist independently of our thoughts or perceptions.
• Epistemic Realism: This suggests that scientific theories, when successful, provide true or approximately true knowledge about the world.
• Semantic Realism: This involves the belief that scientific statements and theories are either true or false in a literal sense and that the language used in science aims to describe the real world.

Arguments for Scientific Realism

Several arguments support scientific realism:

• The No Miracles Argument: This popular argument suggests that the success of science would be a "miracle" if scientific theories were not at least approximately true. Thus, the best explanation for the success of science is that its theories are true.
• The Convergence Argument: Over time, scientific theories tend to converge on a set of stable theories that build on each other, suggesting an underlying reality that these theories describe.
• Indispensability Argument: This argument from mathematics posits that because mathematical entities are indispensable to our best scientific theories, they must be considered real.

Criticisms and Challenges

Scientific realism faces several criticisms:

• Underdetermination of Theory by Data: This argument states that for any given set of data, there are potentially multiple theories that could explain it, suggesting that empirical data alone cannot determine which theory is true.
• The Pessimistic Meta-Induction: This argument points out that many scientific theories have been proven wrong in the history of science. If this trend continues, current theories may also be false.
• Observation-Theoretic Divide: Critics argue that observations are theory-laden, meaning that what scientists observe is influenced by the theories they believe, challenging the objective basis of scientific realism.

Related Philosophical Positions

Scientific realism is related to other philosophical positions and debates, including:

• Philosophy of science
• Realism and Anti-realism
• Empiricism
• Rationalism

Conclusion

Scientific realism remains a central and influential position in the philosophy of science. It provides a robust framework for understanding the success and progress of science, while also facing significant philosophical challenges and debates.