Realism about Molecular Structures
Amanda J. Nichols, Myron A. Penner · 2022
We develop an argument for realism about molecular structures based on measurements from both infrared spectroscopy and high-magnitude microscopes. Data collected through these precise measurement techniques correspond with what the models predict the data should be. We argue that the best explanation for the correspondence between predicted and observed data is that molecular models are correct with respect to the depicted number and kind of atoms, bond connections, and orientation in three-dimensional space.