more from Gilbert Harman

Single Idea 12598

[catalogued under 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 3. Reality]

Full Idea

Reality is what is invariant among true complete theories.

Gist of Idea

Reality is the overlap of true complete theories

Source

Gilbert Harman ((Nonsolipsistic) Conceptual Role Semantics [1987], 12.2.4)

Book Reference

Harman,Gilbert: 'Reasoning Meaning and Mind' [OUP 1999], p.215


A Reaction

The sort of slogan that gets coined in the age of Quine. The whole manner of starting from your theories and working out to what we think reality is seems to be putting the cart before the horse.

Related Ideas

Idea 14334 Modest realism says there is a reality; the presumptuous view says we can accurately describe it [Mumford]

Idea 17644 Metaphysical realism is committed to there being one ultimate true theory [Putnam]