What is the no-miracles argument and how does it support scientific realism?

Philosophy Scientific Realism Questions



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What is the no-miracles argument and how does it support scientific realism?

The no-miracles argument is an argument in favor of scientific realism, which asserts that scientific theories are true or approximately true descriptions of the world. According to this argument, the success of science in making accurate predictions and explaining natural phenomena is highly unlikely if scientific theories were merely convenient fictions or approximations. The fact that scientific theories have consistently been successful in predicting and explaining various phenomena, even in cases where they were initially speculative or controversial, suggests that they are more than just lucky guesses. Therefore, the no-miracles argument concludes that the best explanation for the success of science is that scientific theories are indeed true or approximately true, supporting the position of scientific realism.