Single Idea 10410

[catalogued under 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 4. Anti-realism]

Full Idea

Anti-realists theories of measurement (like operationalism) cannot explain how we can use different methods to measure the same thing (e.g. lengths and distances in cosmology, geology, histology and atomic physics).

Clarification

'Histology' studies microscopic biological structures

Gist of Idea

Anti-realists can't explain different methods to measure distance

Source

Chris Swoyer (Properties [2000], 4.2)

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.28


A Reaction

Swoyer says that the explanation is that measurement aims at objective properties, the same in each of these areas. Quite good.