Abstract

RIVADULLA RODRIGUEZ, Andrés. Can science decide the result of the debate realism-antirealism?: The role of models and theories in the methodology of physics. discus.filos [online]. 2011, vol.12, n.19, pp.113-130. ISSN 0124-6127.

The question that gives title to this article can be shocking. However, it is not an easy question if we realize that this debate is a dispute typical of the philosophy of science. To carry out my task, I will begin with a reference to Paul Thagard, from his book Computational philosophy of science. In fact, this will allow me to focus in the debate between typical scientific realism and structural realism, a new form of scientific realism that comes from John Worrall in the late 80's, and to explore whether it is able to survive the attacks from anti-realist positions. John Worrall proclaimed himself as an alternative to typical scientific realism while a viable form of realism. But if the basic tenets of structural realism are false, as I shall try to show based in the physical theories, we have to conclude that the attempts of structural realism to resurrect realism have failed.

Keywords : Science; physics; models and theories; realism-antirealism; typical realism; structural realism.

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