 Scientific realism

A family of positions taking scientific theories to make literal claims about a mind-independent world, with warranted belief extending to at least some unobservable aspects. The extent of that commitment and the meaning of approximate truth require specification.

Scientific realism is a philosophical position regarding the interpretation of scientific theories and the nature of scientific knowledge. It holds that the world described by science—particularly the entities, processes, and structures posited by scientific theories—exists independently of our perceptions or theories about it.