Philosophy Scientific Realism Questions Medium
Scientific realism and instrumentalism are two contrasting positions in the philosophy of science that address the nature of scientific theories and their relationship to reality.
Scientific realism is the view that scientific theories aim to provide an accurate representation of the world as it is, independent of human observation or interpretation. According to scientific realism, scientific theories are not merely useful tools for prediction and control, but they also provide genuine knowledge about the underlying structure and mechanisms of the natural world. Realists believe that scientific theories should be understood as approximately true descriptions of reality, even if they may require revision or refinement in the future.
On the other hand, instrumentalism, also known as instrumental positivism, holds that scientific theories are merely instruments or tools for making predictions and organizing empirical data. According to instrumentalism, scientific theories should not be understood as providing an accurate representation of reality, but rather as pragmatic devices that help us organize and make sense of our observations. Instrumentalists argue that the success of a scientific theory lies in its ability to predict and explain observable phenomena, rather than its correspondence to an external reality.
In summary, the main difference between scientific realism and instrumentalism lies in their respective views on the relationship between scientific theories and reality. Scientific realism asserts that theories aim to capture the truth about the world, while instrumentalism sees theories as useful tools for prediction and organization, without necessarily reflecting an objective reality.