Realism and Reason

In one way of conceiving it, realism is an empirical theory. ¹ One of the facts that this theory explains is the fact that scientific theories tend to ‘converge’ in the sense that earlier theories are, very often, limiting cases of later theories (which is why it is possible to regard theoretical terms as preserving their reference across most changes of theory). Another of the facts it explains is the more mundane fact that language-using contributes to getting our goals, achieving satisfaction, or what have you.