Questions on the Interpretation of Theories

1. Are you an Instrumentalist or a Realist?

2. There seems to be a sort of correspondence between the Realist Interpretation of Theories and the Correspondence Theory of Truth, and between the Instrumentalist Interpretation of Theory and the Pragmatic Theory of Truth. Clarify that analogy. Are there comparable interpretation versions of the Pragmatic Theory of Truth or the Deflationary Theory (look it up?) What might they be? If you don't think there are, why aren't there?

3. Quine's argument in the Quine-Duhem Thesis also applies to the interpretation of language. When we learn a language we're constantly making hypotheses about what words mean, and Quine says that there's no way to be sure that we've got the one and only 'correct' hypothesis. Do you think it's possible that we are completely misunderstanding everything that anyone says to us? If you doubt that, do the grounds for your doubt transfer over to the case of the indeterminacy of theory interpretation? (Google 'gavagai' for further information, or listen to this episode  of ThePhilosopher'sZone.)