The Realist point of view is the belief that the world is more or less as we perceive it. The Realist view is usually split up into:

1. Naïve Realism, and
2. Representative Realism.

Exercise

Naïve Realism is the common sense, everyday viewpoint (also called Direct Realism). Before we go on to look at exactly what it consists of, I want you to put yourself into the shoes of a Naïve Realist. Go through the following list of things and note down what sort of assumptions you think a naïve realist is entitled to make.

· The existence of the world
· Matter
· Physical laws and certainty
· Things that happen when human beings are not around
· Shared experiences
· Smells, colours, tastes, etc.