Abstract
No realist project in and about economics is close to completion. There are many open issues that remain to be addressed and resolved. Simon Deichsel (2011) has written a healthy challenge that should offer some useful inspiration to anyone interested in assessing and perhaps contributing to the realist projects. He argues against realism and in support of some sort of anti-realism. My response first deals with some conceptual issues regarding the very ideas of realism and anti-realism. I will then discuss the role of pragmatics in relation to truth. Finally, I will address the issue of justifying realism—Deichsel’s title, after all, suggests his challenge is directed against what he calls the pragmatic justification of realism. My remarks are both brief and selective.
Highlights
No realist project in and about economics is close to completion
Simon Deichsel (2011) has written a healthy challenge that should offer some useful inspiration to anyone interested in assessing and perhaps contributing to the realist projects. He argues against realism and in support of some sort of anti-realism
My response first deals with some conceptual issues regarding the very ideas of realism and anti-realism
Summary
Whatever the reason for uncertainty, in order to be able to suspend judgement on the truth of a theory in the first place, one must presuppose a minimal realism about theories having a chance of being true or false This is independent of whether we are in an actual position to pass judgement. There are many notions of realism available, and while Deichsel acknowledges this, it often seems he wants a realist to subscribe to something stronger than just minimal realism He would like the realists to tell how epistemic access to the real world is ensured—what precise criteria, procedures, and standards to apply so as to be able to pass judgement.
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