We discuss Hasok Chang's book "Realism for Realistic People." It aims to outline a philosophy of science focused on understanding and promoting the actual practices of inquiry in science and other knowledge-focused areas of life, while rejecting the traditional notion of metaphysical realism, which claims that our theories correspond to some ultimate reality. Instead, Chang proposes an “activist realism,” offering a novel pragmatist conception of truth and reality as operational ideals, achievable through actual scientific practice.

Hasok Chang is the Hans Rausing Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge University. His research interests lie in the history and philosophy of chemistry and physics from the 18th century onward, as well as the philosophy of scientific practice. He also engages with a variety of topics in the philosophy of science, including realism, pluralism, pragmatism, measurement, and evidence.

Hasok Chang (2022). Realism for Realistic People. Cambridge University Press.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/...

00:00:00 Introduction to the dicussion series by Johannes Jaeger
00:04:43 Introdcution to the discussion by Andrea Loettgers
00:07:55 Hasok Chang: a brief summary of the book
00:21:25 Philosophy that is useful to biology (Jaeger)
00:25:46 Question: how to relate robustness to coherence? (Paul Poledna)
00:32:27 Follow-up: how do we avoid circularity in such arguments?
00:35:50 Question: mind-framed truth for scientists? (Loettgers)
00:43:42 Follow-up: the kind of truth (and relativism) we should care about
00:49:11 Question: relationalism, not relativism? (Kevin Purkhauser)
00:51:42 Follow-up: knowers, relevance, and salience landscapes
00:57:13 Question: what soiled concepts must go? (Jaeger)
00:59:11 Audience question: what about changing aims?
01:02:50 Audience question: don't we need a belief in asbsolute truth?
01:09:32 Audience question: operational coherence, closure, and cognition
01:16:25 Question: a too prominent role for the mind? (Tarja Knuuttila)
01:19:19 Audience question: are scientists misled about truth?
01:25:39 Audience question: useful vs. not useful pluralism
01:30:44 Audience question: how to make pragmatism the dominant paradigm?
01:36:10 Wrap-up: our work is done!