I begin here in §1 with some prima facie linguistic difficulties had by two prominent metaethical accounts of the meaning of normative terms – basically the accounts implicit in realism and expressivism – when these are applied in a straightforward albeit naïve way to the word ‘ought’. In §2, I explain what I take to be the standard framework in theoretical semantics for accounting for the sema...

Randomized trials of complex public health interventions generally aim to identify what works, accrediting specific intervention 'products' as effective. This approach often fails to give sufficient consideration to how intervention components interact with each other and with local context. 'Realists' argue that trials misunderstand the scientific method, offer only a 'successionist' approach ...

In this paper I shall explore the parallels and contrasts between scientific and theological realism. I shall start by providing an outline of the various aspects of scientific realism before looking at these in more detail and in comparison to theological realism. I hope that by this comparison with the well-developed debates between various species of scientific antirealists and realists, tha...

According to causal idealism, causation is a product of human mental activity in a world lacking a mind-independent causal relation. The view is historically popular. Collingwood (1938) held that causal questions are essentially epistemological rather than ontological. Russell (1913) held that there was no role for causation in fundamental physics. And insofar as Hume famously took causation to...

Abstract First, I show that the semantic thesis of scientific realism may be relaxed significantly—to allow some discourse is not truth-valued—without making any concessions concerning epistemic or methodological theses lie at realism’s core. Second, illustrate how relaxing allows realists to avoid positing abstract entities and fend off objections “no miracles” argument from positions such as ...

Critical realism, championed by its proponents as the most promising post-positivist social science paradigm, has gained significant influence in last few decades. This paper provides a critical evaluation of realism movement hope facilitating more fruitful dialogues between and rivalling schools sociologists. Two concerns are raised about contemporary realism. First, is not only philosophical ...

the aim of the present paper is to sbo» that anti-realism in science, 1vhich has a1;guab/y become more fashionable in recentyears, contrary to tuha: its proponents assert, cannot make use of quantum mechanics and its impressiue achievements as a frump card in justifying its claims. i will argue that scientific anti-realism far from providing scientific communiry with a progressive methodologica...

Abstract Aggregating individuals’ consistent attitudes might produce inconsistent collective attitudes. Some groups therefore need the capacity to form that are irreducible those of their members. Such groups, group-agent realists argue, agents in control own attitude formation. In this paper, however, I show how realism overlooks important fact consist strategically interacting agents. Only by...

According to realists, theories are successful because they true, but according selectionists, have gone through a rigorous selection process. Wray claims that the realist and selectionist explanations rivals each other. Lee objects instead complementary In my view, Lee’s objection presupposes explanation is thus it begs question against selectionists. By contrast, invokes scientific theory, no...

We are not asserting that all realist interpretations of quantum mechanics must necessarily do this, nor are we asserting that doing this in itself counts as giving an interpretation. But certainly the central task of modal interpretations is to provide an ontology of the properties of quantum systems that circumvents the measurement problem, without falling prey to the various ‘no-hidden-varia...