shminux comments on Only say 'rational' when you can't eliminate the word - Less Wrong
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While I agree with the rationality part, I have a nitpick with the truth part.
This is a realist position. An instrumentalist approach is that realism (= map/territory distinction) is a model in itself. Hence the definition of the word true: "theories that are more likely to make correct experimental predictions are provisionally defined as true in the map-territory model". Thus in instrumentalism "true" is replaced with "useful": "theories that are more likely to make correct experimental predictions are more useful", without any ontological claims attached.