Realism

I am a Philosophical Realist. If there is one thing that I take on faith it is this:

There exists a world external to my mind. My senses perceive it, and they are my only link to this real, external world. The various things in this world do not depend on my mind for any of their attributes. If I did not exist, the world would remain. So, to any properly phrased question, there is one right answer. There may be many wrong answers.

* Is Aaron Deemer a male homo sapiens currently located on the third planet in the solar system?
* Does an atom of Cadmium have 48 protons?
* Are there any planets orbiting Sirius?

Notice, I am not saying that I (or any other human) know the answer to every question, just that an answer exists. Cadmium still had 48 protons 1 bya (billion years ago).

I guess, in a way, this is my practical definition of truth. A statement is true when it describes reality, false when it does not. Those that disagree, I don't see that we have much to argue about. You can argue Solipsism (the idea that only you are real) all you want, but it's not practical to live by it. No one ever gets out of the Matrix by disbelieving in it. When it comes to practical matters like not stepping in front of traffic, you agree with me (unless a ghost is reading this).