J Blackmon Stating Scientific Realism Commonsense Realism Naturalized We inhabit a common reality which has a structure that exists independently of what people think and say about it except insofar as reality is comprised of thoughts theories and other symbols and except insofar as reali ID: 317959
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Slide1
Scientific Realism
J. BlackmonSlide2
Stating Scientific Realism
Common-sense Realism Naturalized
We inhabit a common reality, which has a structure that exists independently of what people think and say about it, except insofar as reality is comprised of thoughts, theories, and other symbols, and except insofar as reality is dependent on thoughts, theories, and other symbols in ways that might be uncovered by science.Slide3
Stating Scientific Realism
Common-sense Realism Naturalized
We inhabit a common reality, which has a structure that exists independently of what people think and say about it
, except insofar as reality is comprised of thoughts, theories, and other symbols, and except insofar as reality is dependent on thoughts, theories, and other symbols in ways that might be uncovered by science.Slide4
Stating Scientific Realism
Common-sense Realism Naturalized
We inhabit a common reality, which has a structure that exists independently of what people think and say about it,
except insofar as reality is comprised of thoughts, theories, and other symbols
, and except insofar as reality is dependent on thoughts, theories, and other symbols in ways that might be uncovered by science.Slide5
Stating Scientific Realism
Common-sense Realism Naturalized
We inhabit a common reality, which has a structure that exists independently of what people think and say about it, except insofar as reality is comprised of thoughts, theories, and other symbols, and
except insofar as reality is dependent on thoughts, theories, and other symbols in ways that might be uncovered by science
.Slide6
Stating Scientific Realism
Scientific Realism
Common-sense realism naturalized.
One actual and reasonable aim of science is to give us accurate descriptions (and other representations) of what reality is like. This project includes giving us accurate representations of aspects of reality that are unobservable.Slide7
Pessimism
First, we’ll look at an argument intended to reject scientific realism: “The Pessimistic Meta-Induction”, now just the Pessimistic Induction.
See pages 177-178.Slide8
Pessimism
The Pessimistic Induction
The history of science is littered with theories that were once believed to be good representations of reality but were shown to be false or obsolete.
Thus, it is likely that our current theories will be shown to be false or obsolete.
In support of the premise:
Geocentric Model
Aristotelean Physics
Phlogiston Theory of Combustion
Caloric Theory of Heat
Miasma Theory of Disease
Luminiferous
Aether
Newtonian Physics
and many more!Slide9
Pessimism
The Pessimistic Induction
The history of science is littered with theories that were once believed to be good representations of reality but were shown to be false or obsolete.
Thus, it is likely that our current theories will be shown to be false or obsolete.
Objection to Pessimistic Induction
Some theories which have been shown false are replaced by theories that are
more accurate
.
A scientific realist might
accept the premise but argue that we are converging on the truth as we refine our theories much like we converge on the correct measurement as we refine our instruments. Slide10
Pessimism
The Pessimistic Induction
The history of science is littered with theories that were once believed to be good representations of reality but were shown to be false or obsolete.
Thus, it is likely that our current theories will be shown to be false or obsolete.
Rebuttal to Objection
While we may be improving our prediction, this does not require scientific realism
.
All that is required is that our theories and models are empirically adequate—that they function as instruments for prediction and control.Slide11
The Miracle Argument
Now let’s look at an argument in favor of scientific realism: The Miracle Argument, also
known as the
“No-Miracles Argument”.
See pages 178-179.Slide12
The Miracle Argument
Now let’s look at an argument in favor of scientific realism: The Miracle Argument, also
known as the
“No-Miracles Argument”.
Summarized best by Hilary Putnam: “
The positive argument for realism is that it is the only philosophy that doesn’t make the success of science a miracle
.”Slide13
The Miracle Argument
If SR is false, then the success of science would be
so incredibly unlikely
as to count as a
miracle
.
If
SR is true, our success it to be expected.
SR is most likely true.
Further support:
Either something
incredibly
unlikely has occurred, or something quite likely has occurred.
Other things equal, we should infer that the likely thing has occurred.
And that’s just SR.