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Date Posted: 22:19:38 01/17/03 Fri
Author: Phil
Subject: Realism
In reply to: Dave Gilson 's message, "Good question" on 23:26:00 01/16/03 Thu

>>A realist about what?
>
>Physical reality

To simplify the matter somewhat: realism in philosophy is a position that holds that a particular thing has an ontological existence... that it exists independently of us. If we start from the assumption that there is one true physical universe that is independent of observers, then we are forced to be realists in that respect. However, we are not required to be realists in respect of the world as it is presented to us. There is a strong case for being antirealist in respect of what we can know of the world, given that we have a limited perspective on it. Kant held that there is a numinous universe that is of necessity closed to us. Nagel argues that access to such phenomena would require a universal (or 'God's Eye') perspective... the View From Nowhere.

Aspects of the world about which it is relatively uncontentious to be antirealist include such things as a sense of humour, moral and aesthetic values. More contentious is the antirealist position in respect of sense data and bodily sensations.

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