Bas van Frassen

Bas van Fraassen is a philosopher of science known for his work on the nature of scientific theories and knowledge. He proposed "constructive empiricism," which suggests that science aims to develop theories that accurately describe observable phenomena, rather than claiming to uncover ultimate truths about reality. According to van Fraassen, scientists should focus on empirical adequacy—how well a theory matches what we can observe—while remaining agnostic about unobservable aspects. His ideas emphasize that scientific models are tools for understanding and predicting experiences, not necessarily true representations of the underlying reality.