No.46 Referenced from ~ Part2 - Chapter 2 - Easy Study 3

Assumption and Knowledge

A realist takes the existence of a cup in front of him as a hypothesis and starts his reasoning from there. He does not say, as a Cartesian idealist would, "It cannot be denied that there is a cup-like representation," but rather assumes that his hypothesis is correct and reaches out for it.

He then finds that he can indeed grasp it, and that it may be cold. He believes that by obtaining both a visual representation and a tactile sensation from his assumptions, he is able to confirm the existence of the plural "affirming the consequent inference" and thus validate the common assumption.

In this way, realism is a theory that allows assumptions about the antecedent. Realism uses arbitrary assumptions as a means of acquiring knowledge and uses them as the source of knowledge. Assumptions in realism can be elevated to knowledge through empirical confirmation.