The Truth in Realism

Abstract

Ellis, Jardine and Putnam have argued that the would‐be scientific realist can only avoid being a metaphysical realist (one who deploys a recognition transcendent conception of truth) by becoming an “internal realist” (one who adopts a pragmatic construal of truth). While metaphysical realism is unattractive, the approaches to truth offered by Ellis, Jardine and Putnam are quite unacceptable. However, the is no reason to think that one who wishes to be a scientific realist is limited to these two options. Copyright © 1989, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved