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How does scientific realism describe the goal of scientific theories?

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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. — Philosophy of science Aristotle, marble portrait bust, Roman copy (2nd century bce) of a Greek original (c. 325 bce); in the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome.

In the philosophy of science, scientific realism posits that the primary goal of scientific theories is to provide a literally true account of the world.1

Unlike antirealist perspectives, such as instrumentalism, which view theories merely as useful tools for predicting observable phenomena, realists argue that accepting a theory involves committing to the truth of its claims. This includes the belief that the theoretical entities described by science—even those that are unobservable—actually exist and that theories accurately describe aspects of reality that underlie observable events.12

Realists often support this position by arguing that the success of scientific theories would be inexplicable if those theories were not, at the very least, approximately true. By seeking a true description of the world, scientific realism asserts that the language of science should be interpreted as making genuine claims about the nature of reality rather than serving as a mere formal calculus for prediction.12