Critical Scientific Realism [Hardcover]

This book comes to the rescue of scientific realism, showing that reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. Philosophical realism holds that the aim of a particular discourse is to make true statements about its subject matter. Ilkka Niiniluoto surveys different kinds of realism in various areas of philosophy and then sets out his own critical realist philosophy of science.

1. The Varieties of Realism; 2. Realism in Ontology; 3. Realism in Semantics; 4. Realism in Epistemology; 4. Realism in Theory Construction; 6. Realism in Methodology; 7. Internal Realism; 8. Relativism; 9. Social Constructivism; 10. Realism, Science, and Society; References; Indexes.

Impressively broad.... [It] has many of the virtues of a good textbook: it is comprehensive in scope, clear in exposition, even-handed in its discussion of opposing views and full of useful references to the literature.... [It] demonstrate[s] the virtues of a sober and careful appraisal of the issues concerning realism about scientific theories. I shall be urging those of my students intoxicated by the excesses of social constructivism to study them closer. --Peter Menzies,Times Literary Supplement