Could Theoretical Entities Save Realism?

In David & Richard Hull & Burian (ed.), PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association. pp. 173 - 180 (1994)
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Abstract

Hacking and other entity realists suggest a strategy to build scientific realism on a stronger foundation than inference to the best explanation. They argue that if beliefs in the existence of theoretical entities are derived from experimentation rather than theories, they can escape the antirealist's criticism and provide a stronger ground for realism. In this paper, an outline and a critique of entity realism are presented. It will be argued that entity realism cannot stand as a separate position from classical realism. Thus, entity realism cannot avoid the problems facing classical realism.

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Mohamed Elsamahi
University of Calgary (PhD)

Citations of this work

Scientific Realism.Richard Boyd - 1984 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 21 (1&2):767-791.
Scientific Realism.Anjan Chakravartty - 2011 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Experimental Realism Defended: How Inference to the Most Likely Cause Might Be Sound.Mauricio Suárez - 2005 - Contingency and Dissent in Science Project, Cpnss, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Perceiving empirical objects directly.Robert G. Hudson - 2000 - Erkenntnis 52 (3):357-371.

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