What is speculative realism in modern philosophy?

Speculative realism is a contemporary philosophical movement rooted in Continental philosophy that defends metaphysical realism. It defines itself in opposition to post-Kantian philosophies that it collectively terms correlationism. This movement is part of a broader family of philosophical realisms that assert the objective existence of reality.

What we know

• Speculative realism is a movement in contemporary Continental-inspired philosophy. [1, 2]
• The movement defines itself loosely through its stance of metaphysical realism. [2]
• Speculative realism opposes its interpretation of dominant post-Kantian forms of philosophy, which it terms correlationism. [2]

Where to go next

• a case in pointWhat is moral realism?
• compared withHow does critical realism approach social science?
• the bigger pictureWhat are the core branches of philosophy?
• whoWho developed critical realism?
• how it workedWhat is post-Kantian correlationism in philosophy?
• an unexpected connectionHow do moral realism and speculative realism both defend objective existence?While speculative realism targets post-Kantian correlationism in Continental thought, moral realism similarly asserts that ethical propositions refer to objective features of the world independent of subjective opinions.

Sources

• [1]speculative realism (Wikidata Q4431026) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Speculative realism · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Moral realism · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Critical realism (philosophy of the social sciences) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Philosophy · CC BY-SA 4.0