Philosophy Scientific Realism Questions Medium
Scientific realism and instrumentalism are two contrasting positions within the philosophy of history. While both approaches aim to understand the nature of historical knowledge, they differ in their views on the relationship between historical theories and reality.
Scientific realism asserts that historical theories aim to provide an accurate representation of reality. According to this perspective, historical events and processes exist independently of our observations and theories. Scientific realists argue that historical knowledge can be objective and that historical theories can uncover the underlying truths about the past. They believe that historical explanations should be evaluated based on their correspondence to the actual events and causes that occurred.
On the other hand, instrumentalism takes a more pragmatic stance. Instrumentalists argue that historical theories are merely tools or instruments that help us make sense of the past. They view historical theories as useful frameworks for organizing and interpreting historical data, rather than as representations of an objective reality. According to instrumentalism, historical theories should be judged based on their practical utility and their ability to explain and predict historical phenomena.
In summary, the main difference between scientific realism and instrumentalism in the philosophy of history lies in their views on the relationship between historical theories and reality. Scientific realism posits that historical theories aim to uncover objective truths about the past, while instrumentalism sees historical theories as practical tools for understanding and interpreting historical events.