Realism and Anti-realism
Science and Reality
Science ought to describe reality. But what is
Reality?
Is what we think we see of reality really real?
If not, what are we then dealing with in science?
Is it representations of reality?
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Realism vs. Anti-realism: Understanding Reality and Science, Slides of Mathematics
The philosophical debate between realism and anti-realism, discussing the nature of reality and science's role in describing it. various attitudes towards reality in philosophy, including naive realism, critical realism, idealism, phenomenalism, and the two attitudes in science: realism and anti-realism. The document also delves into the implications of these philosophies in science, particularly in the context of atoms, thermodynamics, and the Axiom of Choice.
What you will learn
- How do realism and anti-realism impact scientific understanding of atoms and thermodynamics?
- What is the significance of the Axiom of Choice in this debate?
- How does naive realism differ from critical realism?
- What is the role of idealism and phenomenalism in understanding reality?
- What is the difference between realism and anti-realism in philosophy?
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Realism and Anti-realism
Science and Reality
Science ought to describe reality. But what is
Reality?
Is what we think we see of reality really real?
If not, what are we then dealing with in science?
Is it representations of reality?
Philosophical Terms
There are several different attitudes towards reality in philosophy:
- Naive Realism : Reality is more or less as we experience it.
- Critical Realism: Reality exists but we cannot experience it directly. There is, however, a close connection between reality and our experiences of it.
- Idealism: Reality does not exist. The only existing things are our (or just my) experiences.
- Phenomenalism: Reality exists but we can only know it through constructions based on observations made by our senses.
In Science
In Science there are two attitudes:
- Realism: The goal of science is to describe
reality as it is.
- Anti-Realism: The goal of science is to describe
the observable part of reality as it is.We cannot
say anything about the non-observable part of
reality.
Explanations of observations
- According to anti-realists is the core of science is the set of observable data.
- The purpose of the models is to explain these observable data.
- Anti-realism is also known as instrumentalism.
Behaviorism
- A special movement in psychology says that consciousness in a sense is a fiction.
- (^) All scientific statements about consciousness must be based on observation.
- (^) Consciousness is a fiction that describes these observations.
- This is a kind of reductionism.
Fiction or not?
- There are actually two forms of anti-realism:
- We can say that theories, such as those concerning atoms, are pure fictions.
- (^) We can say that theories, such as those concerning atoms, might be able to describe reality in a way. But we can never know if they are true. This approach is called agnosticism.
- (^) The latter type of anti-realism is probably the most common.
Realism in Mathematics
- (^) The Axiom of choice says that if we have an arbitrary family of sets, we can choose an element from each set in the family.
- (^) The selection is a function from the family of sets. The Axiom of choice says that this function always exists.
- (^) The problem is that it doesn't have to be any explicit way of describing the function.
What do we do then?
- There are at least three approaches:
- We can believe that there is an objective answer to the question about the axiom of choice is true or not. We must try to understand the mathematical reality better. This approach is called realism.
- We choose to only deal with such mathematics can be proved constructively. We cannot know if The axiom of choice is true. This approach is known as constructivism.
- We can choose to accept the axiom of choice as true or false, depending on what we want. Have it your way! This approach is called formalism.
More details
- Realism: there is a mathematical reality that exists independently of us. Mathematicians are exploring this reality. Also called Platonism.
- Constructivism: the mathematics are designed by us. Only what is constructed or potentially possible to construct is real. This view (or a variant of it) is also known as Intuitionism.
- Formalism: Mathematics is just a sort of game with symbols. Mathematicians examine the consequences of the different rules of the game. Everything that does not lead to a contradiction is allowed. This view is a form of anti-realism.
Strength and weakness of anti-realism
- (^) Gives a certain intellectual sanitation.
- (^) Is quite natural. The reality can never be exactly what we imagine it to be.
- At the same time, it seems that an anti- realist position can limit our ability to speak about things.
Realism vs. anti-realism
- (^) A summary of the positions:
- Realists believe that science is an accurate description of reality, even those parts of it that cannot be observed directly.
- (^) Anti-realists believe that science can only describe the observable parts of reality and that the theories often are only fictions or models about which we cannot say that they are true or false.
- (^) What are the reasons for the different positions?
The argument from observability
- This is also an argument against anti-realism.
- (^) Anti-realism is based on the supposed fact that we can divide the world into observable and non observable parts.
- But can we really do that in a consistent way?
- (^) There are, for example. a gradual transition from observability with the eye to observability with electron microscopes. It is the first one a genuine observability but not the other one?
Counter-arguments
- That type of argument really just shows that observability is a vague concept. It does not necessarily mean that it is a meaningless concept.
- (^) We can see that there are clear cases of what is observable and clear cases of things that are not. That's enough for anti- realism.
The argument from under-determination
- (^) This is an argument for anti-realism.
- (^) We imagine that we have a set of observed data. We want to find a theory that explains the data.
- (^) It is possible to realize that there is always a variety of theories that may explain these data. The theories are being under-determined.
- If you are using a theory to explain the data, it is just an arbitrary tool for the explanation.
- (^) That's exactly what anti-realists believe about theories.
Counter-arguments
- (^) Although there are different theories that could explain the measured data, they are not all equivalent.
- It seems natural that there is some kind of selection criterion, for example, choosing the simplest theory.
- (^) It also seems to be a lack of historically interesting examples of under- determination.
Computer Science
- (^) What are the Computer Science problems relating to realism and anti-realism?
- (^) The problems seems to be the same as in mathematics. But computer science works primarily with discrete mathematics that usually use finite methods. (Not so much of ontological problems.)
- Does the NP-question have to be decidable?
- (^) Maybe the problem of consciousness is an example of the realism / anti-realism character?
The Turing Test
A machine passes the Turing test if it convinces you that it is human. In that case:
- Is it "like" a human?
- Is it equivalent to a human?
- Is it human?
What is human consciousness?
- Can a computer have feelings and consciousness?
- In the same way as humans have?
- Can a computer be you?
- Are you a computer?
- Perhaps consciousness is a convenient fiction?
- Many people think these are interesting and disturbing questions.
- And they are scientific questions (or?) Why criticism of objective truth? Some common thoughts are:
- To refer to truth is in a way a misuse of power.
- It is a form of totalitarianism. The dictatorship of science!
- Truth is a rhetorical trick.
- Fanaticism and intolerance is sometimes based on a belief in objective truth.
- Perhaps it is truth without skepticism that is dangerous?