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How does scientific realism connect truth with a mind-independent world?

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Marble bust of Aristotle with a beard and draped robe, showing detailed facial features and wavy hair, set against a dark background. — Truth Detail of a Roman copy (2nd century bce) of a Greek alabaster portrait bust of Aristotle (c. 325 bce); in the collection of the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome.

Scientific realism connects truth with a mind-independent world primarily through the concept of correspondence. Under this view, human language and thought are understood to pick out specific objects and properties within a reality that exists independently of the mind. A statement is considered true if the things it refers to possess the properties attributed to them.12

Proponents of this perspective argue that scientific theories aim to provide a literally true account of the world, describing aspects of reality that may underlie observable phenomena. A central justification for this position is the "ultimate argument for realism," which posits that the systematic success of scientific theories—such as their ability to predict outcomes with extraordinary accuracy—would be a "miracle" or a coincidence of cosmic proportions if those theories were not at least approximately true descriptions of a mind-independent reality.34

However, this connection is debated. Some philosophers, such as Hilary Putnam, have critiqued "metaphysical realism" for assuming an impossible, "Archimedean" perspective from which one could observe both language and the world to verify their correspondence. Consequently, alternative views like "internal" or "commonsense" realism suggest that while objective truth is essential to avoid relativism, it is best understood as "truth under a description" rather than a direct, unmediated link to a "ready-made" world.12