instrumentalisties

Instrumentalisties is a philosophical concept that views things, including abstract entities, primarily in terms of their usefulness or function. Rather than focusing on their intrinsic nature or inherent properties, instrumentalism emphasizes what something is good for or how it can be used to achieve a particular goal. This perspective is often applied to scientific theories, where the truth or falsity of a theory is less important than its predictive power and explanatory utility. An instrumentalist about scientific theories would argue that the value of a theory lies in its ability to make accurate predictions and organize observations, rather than in its correspondence to an independent reality.

This approach contrasts with realism, which posits that scientific theories describe a mind-independent reality and that successful theories are true or approximately true descriptions of that reality. Instrumentalism, therefore, adopts a pragmatic stance, valuing theories based on their practical consequences. The concept can also extend beyond science, influencing how we understand concepts, laws, or even ethical principles. In these contexts, instrumentalism suggests that the meaning or validity of these elements is derived from their role in serving human purposes or facilitating social order.