Scientific Realism

The Machine Scientists: Iatrophysics and Selective Scientific Realism

The Machine Scientists - Giovanni Borelli, Jan Swammerdam and Niels Steensen - followed Rene Descartes in modelling the human body mechanically. The scientific success of this 'iatrophysical' programme, replete with rejected entities such as 'Animal Spirits', poses a problem for Scientific Realism. Using Psillos' moderate realism, this paper attempts to reconcile a selective realist position with the historical record.