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Synopsis

Scientific theories in physics often deal with aspects that cannot be directly observed. These unobservables can be theoretical entities such as electrons, or theoretical processes such as the bending of space time in general relatvity. This raises a question: to what extent does a theory's explanation of the world correspond to reality? Scientific realism asserts that scientific theories can provide approximately true descriptions of the universe. In contrast, scientific antirealism is the claim that the unobservable aspects of a theory do not correspond to a literal description of reality. In this presentation, I will provide a general overview of scientific realism and scientific antirealism including key positions and arguments for and against these perspectives. As many of us will study, build upon, prove or disprove scientific theories, examining their truth claims and, by extension, the aim of physics could prove highly rewarding.