the same observations lead to different theoretical terms. Therefore we should never believe any theory based on theoretical terms to be true. A realist philosopher, Putnam, believes that realism is the only philosophy that does not make the success of science a miracle. He believes that the theories accepted in science are typically approximately true and that the same term can refer to the same thing even when it occurs in different theories. Statements are not necessarily viewed by realists as true, but only as part of the only explanation of the success of science. Then Putnam obviously believes that science must explain it’s own success. This argument is similar to the argument of another realist, Smart. Smart believes that the truth of science cannot be explained through cosmic coincidences or lucky accidents. Therefore, regularities in the observable phenomena must be explained in terms of deeper structure, otherwise the science could only be explained as accidents. Van Fraassen responds to Putnam and Smart with a Darwinian response. He uses the example of a cat and mouse, and why the mouse runs away from the cat. Van Fraassen says not to believe that the mouse runs away from the cat because the mouse perceives the cat as an enemy. Darwinists believe that species who did not cope with their enemies no longer exist. The mouse does not run because it perceives the cat as an enemy, the mouse just naturally runs from the cat and it has a chance at survival. In the same way, the success of science is not just coincidence or a miracle. Scientific theories that are created, face competition from other similar theories. Therefore only the strongest theories survive, which are the theories that comply with natural regularities. -* -* -*-* TRANSDUCER -*-*MODULE-*-* Finally, Beliefs and Memories Formed -* -* -*TRANSDUCER-*MODULE-* ...
