Universals and Abstract Entities
One of the ancient problems of metaphysics is about whether universals exist. Universal is what particular things have in common, namely characteristics or qualities. For instance, two pieces of chalk have in common a quality of color, namely “whiteness”. There are many philosophical positions regarding universals. The main contemporary ones are: Realism which postulates that […]
Scientific Realism vs. Antirealism
Scientific realism states that science aims to give us in its theories a literally true story of what the world is like, and acceptance of scientific theory involves the belief that it is true. Constructive empiricism holds that science aims to give us theories which are empirically adequate; and acceptance of a theory involves a […]
Realists vs Antirealists
Realism is being understood as the view that regardless of how we think of things they are what they are. Metaphysical realism is the view that there is a mind-independent reality. Contrary to realism, anti-realism postulates that the physical world does not exist outside the mind. There is no such thing as mind-independent reality or […]