Philosophical realism is the view that there exists a reality independent of human minds and perceptions. It asserts that the world is structured in a certain way regardless of how or whether it is perceived by human beings. Philosophical realism can be divided into several subtypes, each focusing on different aspects of this independent reality:
- Metaphysical Realism:
- This form of realism posits that there is a mind-independent reality composed of objects, properties, and events that exist regardless of our thoughts or beliefs about them. Metaphysical realists argue that the world is structured in a particular way, and this structure is not contingent upon human perceptions or conceptual frameworks.
- Epistemological Realism:
- Epistemological realism maintains that humans can have knowledge of the external world as it truly is. This perspective contrasts with skepticism, which questions the possibility of such knowledge, and with idealism, which suggests that reality is mentally constructed. Epistemological realists believe that our sensory experiences and scientific methods can give us accurate information about the world.
- Naive Realism (or Direct Realism):
- Naive realism is the view that the world is exactly as we perceive it to be. According to this view, objects have the properties that we perceive them to have, and these properties exist independently of any observer. Naive realism suggests that perception is a straightforward process where we have direct access to the external world.
- Scientific Realism:
- Scientific realism is the belief that the entities posited by scientific theories exist independently of our thoughts and perceptions. Scientific realists argue that the success of scientific theories in explaining and predicting phenomena indicates that these theories accurately describe an objective reality. This form of realism supports the idea that unobservable entities, such as electrons or gravitational waves, are real.
- Moral Realism:
- Moral realism is the view that there are objective moral facts and values that exist independently of human beliefs or perceptions. According to moral realists, statements about what is morally right or wrong can be true or false based on these objective moral facts.
- Modal Realism:
- Modal realism, championed by philosopher David Lewis, posits that possible worlds are just as real as the actual world we live in. According to modal realism, there are many possible worlds, each existing in a concrete way, and our world is just one among these many possibilities.
Philosophical realism, in its various forms, stands in contrast to anti-realist positions, such as idealism (the belief that reality is mentally constructed), phenomenalism (the belief that objects only exist as sensory phenomena), and relativism (the belief that truth is dependent on cultural or individual perspectives). Realists maintain that there is a stable and objective reality that we can, at least in part, come to understand through perception, reasoning, and scientific inquiry.