SUNY series in Philosophy Science, Reality, and Language

Explains why anti-realism is so popular with philosophers of science by showing that many contemporary philosophers of science and language, who define themselves as empiricists, in fact have evolved into linguistic idealists. Science, Reality, and Language criticizes the anti-realist stance currently flourishing in philosophy of science and shows that many contemporary philosophers of science, although they define themselves empiricists, have evolved into "linguistic idealists." After emphasizing that most practicing scientists find the linguistically oriented philosophy of science useless, the author concludes is that a naturalistic philosophy of science is needed in which language is no longer taken to be the whole of reality, but just a human product created for practical and social purposes.