Naturalism and Realism in the Philosophy of Science

This paper discusses naturalism in the philosophy of science, with a special focus on to the issue of scientific realism. After introducing the theme of naturalism in more general terms, it is first critically assessed whether and how the debate over scientific realism lends itself to a naturalistic approach. An analogous inquiry is then carried out with respect to the relationship between metaphysics and science - a careful analysis of which appears to be particularly important from the point of view of the scientific realist. In both cases, it is suggested that a naturalistic approach is both possible and potentially fruitful, provided that naturalism be given a 'mild' or 'liberal' characterization. In the course of the discussion, an overview of existing positions is offered, and some considerations in favor of a metaphysically engaged scientific realism provided.