Philosophy Scientific Realism Questions Medium
Scientific realism and instrumentalism are two contrasting positions in the philosophy of biology that address the nature of scientific theories and their relationship to reality.
Scientific realism is the view that scientific theories provide an accurate representation of the world and that the entities and processes posited by these theories exist objectively, independent of human observation or interpretation. According to scientific realism, scientific theories aim to uncover the underlying structure of the natural world and provide explanations that are true or approximately true. Realists believe that scientific progress involves the accumulation of knowledge about the world, and that theories can be revised or replaced based on empirical evidence.
On the other hand, instrumentalism is the view that scientific theories are merely tools or instruments for predicting and explaining observable phenomena, without making any claims about the existence of unobservable entities or the underlying structure of reality. Instrumentalists argue that scientific theories should be evaluated solely based on their predictive and explanatory power, rather than their truth or correspondence to reality. According to instrumentalism, scientific theories are useful fictions that allow us to make successful predictions and manipulate the world, but they do not necessarily provide an accurate representation of the world.
In the philosophy of biology, the difference between scientific realism and instrumentalism can be seen in how they approach biological theories. Scientific realists in biology argue that theories such as evolution by natural selection or the gene-centered view of inheritance provide genuine explanations of biological phenomena and accurately represent the underlying mechanisms of life. They believe that these theories uncover the objective reality of biological processes and entities.
On the other hand, instrumentalists in the philosophy of biology may argue that theories in biology, such as natural selection, are merely useful tools for predicting and explaining observable phenomena in the realm of biology. They may claim that these theories do not necessarily reveal the true nature of biological processes or the existence of unobservable entities, but are effective in making predictions and organizing empirical data.
In summary, the main difference between scientific realism and instrumentalism in the philosophy of biology lies in their stance on the relationship between scientific theories and reality. Scientific realism asserts that theories provide an accurate representation of the world, while instrumentalism views theories as pragmatic tools for prediction and explanation, without making claims about their truth or correspondence to reality.