What are the principles of scientific realism and instrumentalism?

Introduction

Scientific realism and instrumentalism are two philosophical frameworks that interpret the relationship between scientific theories and reality. These positions have been debated extensively in the philosophy of science, with each offering a distinct perspective on the nature of scientific knowledge and the role of scientific theories.

Key Insights

Scientific Realism
- Realism posits that scientific theories describe objective features of the world, suggesting that factual knowledge corresponds to actual states of affairs in the objective world.
- The defense of scientific realism often involves demonstrating that predictive success is linked to the truthfulness or verisimilitude of theories, implying that accurate predictions stem from theories that closely reflect reality.
- Scientific realism is argued to be more compelling than instrumentalism because it aligns with the human pursuit of truth and the historical progression of science towards more certain and mature knowledge.
Instrumentalism
- Instrumentalism views scientific theories as tools for predicting and organizing experiences rather than as literal descriptions of reality, emphasizing the utility of theories over their truth value.
- Some argue for instrumentalism by pointing out discrepancies between theoretical models and real-world systems, suggesting that the lack of a literal mapping undermines the realist perspective.
- The historical struggle between realism and instrumentalism in philosophy of science reflects a broader tension between materialism and idealism, with instrumentalism often seen as a way to mediate between these extremes without fully resolving the underlying dualities.

Conclusion

In summary, scientific realism and instrumentalism offer contrasting views on the nature of scientific theories and their relation to reality. Realism asserts that theories describe the world as it objectively is, while instrumentalism considers theories as mere tools for prediction and organization. The debate between these positions involves considerations of predictive success, the pursuit of truth, and the historical development of scientific knowledge. Despite the arguments for instrumentalism, scientific realism is often favored for its alignment with the human quest for understanding the true nature of reality.

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What are the principles of scientific realism and instrumentalism?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

The Literalist Fallacy and the Free Energy Principle: Model-Building, Scientific Realism, and Instrumentalism

Scientific realism about the free energy principle is a viable option, avoiding the literalist fallacy and avoiding the misguided defense of instrumentalism.

Realism versus Instrumentalism in a New Statistical Framework*

Scientific realism in statistical hypothesis testing is strengthened by definitions of verisimilitude and predictive success, which depend on each other, even in cases where instrumentalism is proposed.

Realism and Instrumentalism: On a Priori Conditions of Science

Realism views science as a description of the objective world, while instrumentalism views empirical theories as instruments for foreseeing and ordering facts.

Argument from Psychological Difference: Why It Makes Sense to Be a Scientific Realist Than an Instrumentalist

Scientific realism is more meaningful and grounded in existing material reality than instrumentalism, making it a more superior stance in science practice.

Struggle between realism and instrumentalism in modern western philosophy of science

Scientific realism and instrumentalism in modern western philosophy of science struggle to overcome materialism and idealism, and only Marxism's material dialectics can effectively mediate their opposing viewpoints.

Methodological Realism and Scientific Rationality

Realist assumptions are crucial for the rationality of research, as they presume that some unobservable entities can be answerable through research, rather than solely focusing on instrumental utility or empirical adequacy.

Experimental Success and the Revelation of Reality: The Miracle Argument for Scientific Realism

Scientific realism, not non-realism, is the only explanation for the success of science, as theories that accurately predict observable effects tend to establish equivalence relations among phenomena.

Realism, instrumentalism, and scientific symbiosis: psychological theory as a search for truth and the discovery of solutions.

The categorical distinction between scientific realism and instrumentalism in psychology is overstated, and iterative deployment of these perspectives can promote more rigorous, integrative, and useful scientific theories.

Realist Principles

Realist principles can help distinguish scientific realism from empiricist approaches, but modern cosmology presents challenges for empiricist approaches.

Scientific Realism: The New Debates

Anti-realistic positions in scientific realism, such as Hesse's neo-Duhemian position and Sneed's axiomatrization method, challenge the ontic commitments of realist positions and may lead to inconsistencies in scientific explanations.

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