Realism

Realism in scientific theories is a philosophical stance that posits scientific theories aim to provide a true account of the world.

Realism is an interdisciplinary concept that manifests across various fields, including the arts, theatre, and philosophy. In the arts, realism is characterized by the accurate and detailed depiction of nature or contemporary life, rejecting imaginative idealization in favor of close observation of outward appearances. This approach has been evident in different civilizations and artistic movements, notably in 17th-century European painting and 18th-century English literature. 

The formal adoption of realism as an aesthetic program occurred in mid-19th century France, emphasizing the truthful portrayal of the ordinary aspects of life and society, influenced by intellectual developments such as Positivism and the rise of photography.

Philosophically, realism is the viewpoint that things known or perceived have an existence independent of perception or thought. This perspective asserts that objects and their properties exist regardless of whether they are being observed or considered by a conscious being. Realism in philosophy is the view that objects of knowledge or perception exist independently of whether they are being thought about or perceived. This perspective asserts that the world is composed of mind-independent entities, which exist regardless of human perception or cognition. Realism is often contrasted with idealism, which posits that reality is fundamentally mental or immaterial and that objects only exist as perceptions in the mind.

The debate between realism and antirealism has been a central theme in philosophy, with discussions often focusing on ontology (the nature of being) and the nature of truth. Realists maintain that at least some objects of perception are public and exist independently of the mind, whereas mental entities are private and mind-dependent. This distinction is crucial in differentiating realism from other philosophical positions like phenomenalism, which suggests that physical objects are dependent on perception.

Photography significantly impacted the development of realism in art by providing artists with a new tool for capturing and studying the visual world with unprecedented accuracy. The advent of photography in the 19th century allowed artists to observe and record details of contemporary life and nature with mechanical precision, which influenced the Realism movement's emphasis on depicting everyday scenes and the lives of ordinary people. 

Philosophical realism can be divided into different areas, such as realism about the external world, scientific theories, mathematics, or morality. Realists argue that our sense perceptions and scientific theories provide knowledge of things that exist independently of our cognitive activities. This viewpoint aligns with common sense, as most beliefs naturally concern mind-independent objects, whether they are everyday items or theoretical scientific entities.

Realism in scientific theories is a philosophical stance that posits scientific theories aim to provide a true account of the world, including unobservable entities. Scientific realists argue that theories should be seen as true descriptions of reality, even if some aspects are not directly observable. This view is supported by the success of scientific theories in explaining and predicting phenomena, suggesting that they are at least approximately true representations of the world.

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