Quantum Mechanics
Philosopher Hilary Putnam talks about the challenge philosophers face in trying to interpret scientific functions --such as quantum mechanics-- when the effects are observable, but the function itself is not.
Subject: realism
Scientific Theories and Realism
Philosopher Hilary Putnam argues that it is futile for philosophers of science to try to come up with a single, one-size-fits-all model that can be used to validate all scientific theories.
Subject: realism
Scientific Realism
Philosopher Hilary Putnam calls himself a scientific realist for a number of reasons, including his contention that there's no serious difference in the reality status of scientific objects and common sense objects. Even with respect to observabilit...
Subject: realism
Is the Real World Independent of Our Minds? (Part 2)
Philosopher Hilary Putnam continues his discussion of whether or not the external world is independent of our minds. At one time he made the statement that there is no real world independent of our conceptual system--a statement which he now regrets...
Subject: realism
Is the Real World Independent of Our Minds? (Part 3)
Philosopher Hilary Putnam continues his discussion of whether or not the external world is independent of our minds. At one time he made the statement that there is no real world independent of our conceptual system--a statement which he now regrets...
Subject: realism
Transcript: , to distinguish, Between what, the kind of realism that we really need In order to live our lives and to think straight About all issues including
Is the Real World Independent of Our Minds? (Part 1)
Philosopher Hilary Putnam talks about whether or not the external world is independent of our minds. At one time he made the statement that there is no real world independent of our conceptual system--a statement which he now regrets. Professor Putn...
Subject: realism
Connecting Different Fields of Philosophy
Philosopher Hilary Putnam makes the case for connecting the different fields of philosophy. As an example, he cites ethics and epistemology, arguing that looking at these together would enable us to see things in a different light.
Subject: realism
Social Reality
Philosopher John Searle explains the difference between institutional facts, like money, property, marriage, and nation states, and what he calls "brute facts," like the number of electrons in a hydrogen atom, or the snow atop Mt. Everest.
Subject: realism
The Realism vs. Anti-Realism Debate (Part 2)
Philosopher John Searle talks about the anti-realist view that we never actually perceive the real world and instead only perceive our own perceptions of that world. Professor Searle argues that this is incorrect, that we do, in fact, have direct pe...
Subject: realism
The Realism vs. Anti-Realism Debate (Part 1)
Philosopher John Searle talks about what he calls a persistent error among western philosophers since the Greeks--namely, the notion that the external world is not real in and of itself, but instead is dependent on human minds and human consciousnes...
Subject: realism
Transcript: we can deal with is answerable to us. Now there are a lot of arguments against my view i call realism Or external realism the idea that there's a way