Realisms

Michael Levin

pp. 115-138

in: Synthese 85 (1), 1990.

Abstract

It is argued that the general thesis of realism is ill-defined, as are various versions of its denial. Only specific theses of the form ‘There areK's’ make clear sense. It is also argued that various efforts to deny realism always turn out to deny specific existential theses. Thus, it is argued, van Fraassen and Schwartz deny the existence of electrons.