critical realism
In the philosophy of perception,critical realism is the theory that some of our sense-data (for example,those of primary qualities) can and do accurately represent external objects,properties,and events,while other of our sense-data (for example,those of secondary qualities and perceptual illusions) do not accurately represent any external objects,properties,and events.In short,critical realism refers to any position that maintains that there exists an objectively knowable,mind-independent reality,whilst acknowledging the roles of perception and cognition.
Critical realism refers to several schools of thought.These include the American critical realists (Roy Wood Sellars,George Santayana,and Arthur Lovejoy) and a broader movement including Bertrand Russell and C.D.Broad.The Canadian Jesuit Bernard Lonergan developed a comprehensive critical realist philosophy and this understanding of critical realism dominates North America's Catholic Universities.In the UK,critical realism generally refers to a philosophical approach to the social and natural world - Roy Bhaskar's work is particularly well associated with this approach.The term is also used by several people in the science-religion interface community.