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Full Idea
Realism is sometimes said to involve a commitment to the idea that certain of our concepts, those with respect to which we are realists, 'carve reality at the joints'.
Gist of Idea
Realism says some of our concepts 'cut nature at the joints'
Source
John Heil (From an Ontological Point of View [2003], 14.11)
Book Ref
Heil,John: 'From an Ontological Point of View' [OUP 2005], p.166
A Reaction
Clearly not all concepts cut nature at the joints (e.g. we have concepts of things we know to be imaginary). Personally I am committed to this view of realism. I try very hard to use concepts that cut accurately; why shouldn't I sometimes succeed?