pragmatic-science-realism
A form of realism that treats scientific depiction of reality as an aspirational regulative goal rather than a definitive description.
1 chapter across 1 book
Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (2003)Nicholas Rescher
Chapter 18 explores the notion of cognitive realism, emphasizing that existence is realm-correlative and contextualized, and that reality extends beyond human cognitive capacities. It critiques the homo mensura doctrine that equates reality solely with what humans can know, advocating instead for a pragmatic realism that acknowledges the causal activity of entities as a criterion for reality, while conceding a limited idealism that reality must be in principle knowable by some suitably equipped intelligence. The chapter ultimately argues for a nuanced position that balances realism and idealism, rejecting human-centered epistemic hubris.