ceptance that a theory is the best in it’s area, the scientist believes that the theories theoretical terms are the best in the theory’s area, not that they are true.Grover Maxwell is a realist who believes that there is no difference between theoretical and non-theoretical language, and also between observable and unobservable entities. Maxwell believes that theoretical terms are essential to essential to everyday language and that the much of the way that we talk has been guided through previously accepted theories. People do not necessarily believe in theories, though, just because they talk of them. Van Fraassen attempts to draw a line between observing and observing that. Conceptual awareness is needed to observe something. Information cannot only be obtained through perception, something about what is being observed has to be learned. Maxwell also contends that there is no difference between observing something through a window, observing something through glasses, observing something through a telescope, and observing something through a high-powered microscope. Van Fraassen contends that there is a difference because the first three examples and the last example. The window could be lifted up and the object viewed with the naked eye in the first example. The objects in the second and third example could be viewed with the naked eye if the observer were able to move closer to them. While in the last example the objects are only deemed to be detectable because they can only be seen through something that aids the naked eye. Therefore, the terms deemed “observable” are examples of vague predicates involved in theories.There are vague predicates that occur in theories that allow for no distinction to be drawn. When is a man believed to be bald? When is touching a family member deemed immoral? Suppose a man has a full head of hair, he is not considered bald then, A hair is removed, but he is stil...
