Theoretical Realism

Theoretical Realism is the idea that scientific theories, even if they cannot be directly observed, represent real aspects of the world. It suggests that the entities and mechanisms described by theories—like atoms, forces, or even concepts in psychology—exist independently of our observations. This perspective emphasizes that theories can be true or false based on how accurately they reflect reality, regardless of whether we can see or measure everything they describe. In essence, it proposes that our best scientific explanations point to a reality that includes both observable and unobservable elements.