Realism for Realistic People

In this innovative book, Hasok Chang constructs a philosophy of science for 'realistic people' interested in understanding and promoting the actual practices of inquiry in science and other knowledge-focused areas of life.

Inspired by pragmatist philosophy, he reconceives the notions of reality and truth based on his concept of 'operational coherence' of epistemic activities, offering new pragmatist conceptions of truth and reality as operational ideals achievable in actual scientific practice.

Rejecting the version of scientific realism that claims our theories correspond to an ultimate reality, he proposes instead an 'activist realism': a commitment to do all that we can actually do to improve our knowledge of realities.