Embracing Scientific Realism
In: Synthese Library v.445
Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- Chapter 1: In Defense of the No-Miracles Argument -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 The NMA -- 1.3 Laudan's Objection -- 1.4 The Rejection of the Demand -- 1.5 IBE -- 1.6 Evolutionary Theory -- 1.7 The End of History Illusion -- 1.8 Ad Hoc -- 1.9 Empiricism -- 1.10 Surrealism -- 1.11 Predictive Similarity -- 1.12 Summary -- References -- Chapter 2: Critiques of the Pessimistic Induction -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 The Pessimistic Induction -- 2.3 Problematic Positions -- 2.3.1 The Classic PI and IBE -- 2.3.2 The Classic PI and Evolutionary Theory -- 2.4 The Grand PI -- 2.4.1 Four Intrinsic Problems -- 2.4.2 The PUA -- 2.4.3 The Relative PI -- 2.4.4 The PI over Realists -- 2.4.5 The Epistemic PI -- 2.4.6 The Problem of Misleading Evidence -- 2.4.7 Proportional Pessimism -- 2.5 Summary -- References -- Chapter 3: Critiques of Scientific Antirealism -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 The PI Over Antirealist Explanations -- 3.3 The PI Over Pessimists -- 3.4 The PI Over Antirealists -- 3.5 Explanation -- 3.6 Prediction -- 3.7 Two Epistemic Disadvantages -- 3.8 Epistemic Reciprocalism -- 3.9 Empiricism and the Problem of Unobserved Anomalies -- 3.10 Constructive Empiricism -- 3.11 Gap Antirealists -- 3.12 Summary -- References -- Chapter 4: Six New Arguments for Scientific Realism -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 The Optimistic Induction Over Realists -- 4.3 The Argument from Undiscovered Evidence -- 4.4 The Argument from Neighboring Theories -- 4.5 The Counter-Induction for Realism -- 4.6 The English Notion of Rationality -- 4.7 The Grand Optimistic Induction -- 4.8 Tu Quoque -- 4.9 Summary -- References -- Chapter 5: Critiques of Five Variants of Putative Realism -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Entity Realism -- 5.3 Minimal Realism -- 5.4 Axiological Realism -- 5.5 Van Fraassen's Definition -- 5.6 Selective Realism -- 5.6.1 An Analysis.