At its most simple, realism describes the belief that what is ‘real’ is what is immediately present to and open to the apprehension of the basic human senses, especially sight and touch; see Pratt in N. Thrift and R. Kitchin, eds (2009). ‘One of the characteristic realist ideas is that there is a difference between appearance and reality, and that it is the task of inquiry to find access beyond what appears to be the case to what is really the case’ (Mäki (2004) Env. & Plan. A, 36, 1719). In considering realism in geography, Sack (1982), TIBG 7, 4 504 argues for the ideas of natural necessity, and the existence in nature of underlying structures, potentials, or tendencies. He continues: ‘the features that are essentially realist point to the necessity of deeper structures and tendencies in nature than are observed on the sensory surface. Realism, however, does not tell us what the particular structures look like. This is the task of science’. Try Sayer in S. Aitken and G. Valentine (2006), p.154, who is refreshingly honest.