Disagreement in the Scientific Realism Debate

This chapter explores the extent to which there is ongoing disagreement in the long-running debate concerning scientific realism, broadly construed. On the one hand, it illustrates that considerable dissensus concerning first-order issues – e.g., on the truth of components of realism and rival views – persists. On the other, it argues that a measure of consensus has emerged on higher-order evaluative issues, such as which arguments against realism are most compelling and which alternatives to realism are most promising. It closes by proposing that continuing the realism debate is not as futile as some have suggested, because persistent disagreement on first-order matters may drive exploration and increased agreement on higher-order theses.