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The Philosophy of Science

135). How can science be so successful, if theories are untrue? .
             Other anti realists too can only describe the first two features of a successful theory. The notion that later theories must have equal or greater content than former theories, as proposed by Newton-Smith's approach, is false. Brown dismisses this notion by providing an example of a former theory that was explain by both astronomy (study of celestial objects) and astrology(study of the positioning of astral bodies and their relevance on lives of human beings and other events on earth); "than a transition was made to purely astronomical theory." (Brown, p.138) The previous theory which combined both claims said more about the world than the latter astronomical explanation. Yet the astronomical explanation proved to be more accurate. .
             Like many debates in philosophy realism and anti realism has an immense grey area. It occurs because there is no clear line between what is acceptable as truth and what is not. Scientists of course ignore this debate and let philosophers fight this battle. Brown appears to have a proper, narrative style explanation for the dispute. "An event or condition is explained by telling a story in which the things to be explained is embeddedFrom this story we see how the events in question are possible." (Brown, p.142). These explanations are meant to help us understand how certain phenomena happened. They provide information into what is relevant to the outcome. The story is not meant to be considered a fact but merely a conjecture. Theories than provide something which is relevant to the outcome. If theory equals outcome, than the theory must be true. .
             After carefully assessing realism and anti realism, I adhere to Brown's argument of novel predictions in support of scientific realism. Like Brown, I too believe in an external reality. We can acquire knowledge of this reality through scientific research and empirical data.


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