Optimistic realism about scientific progress

Ilkka Niiniluoto

pp. 3291-3309

in: Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem (ed), New thinking about scientific realism, Synthese 194 (9), 2017.

Abstract

Scientific realists use the “no miracle argument” to show that the empirical and pragmatic success of science is an indicator of the ability of scientific theories to give true or truthlike representations of unobservable reality. While antirealists define scientific progress in terms of empirical success or practical problem-solving, realists characterize progress by using some truth-related criteria. This paper defends the definition of scientific progress as increasing truthlikeness or verisimilitude. Antirealists have tried to rebut realism with the “pessimistic metainduction”, but critical realists turn this argument into an optimistic view about progressive science.