HPS100H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Scientific Realism, Instrumentalism
19 Jan 2018
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Theories describe our experiences, but we do not know if out theories correctly describe the nature of the outside world. Cant accept theories but only use them, theories are tools. Scientific realism: although our theories about the natures of unobservable entities can be false, out knowledge of the relations between entities is true. Knowledge of entities change but idea of structure remains. Entity realism: our knowledge about unobservable entities is true, although our theories concerning relations between these entities can be false. Knowledge about relations is fallible, but knowledge of unobservable entities is true. Flawed because it assumes or knowledge of relations is unchangeable. Flawed because the list of entities that populate the world has changed through time. They both represent a selective approach, a thing is false but some aspects are true. Notion of progress is problematic in many fields. Scientific theories provide increasingly correct descriptions of the external world. Whether some descriptions are closer to truth than others.
