Philosopher John Searle makes a 4-quadrant distinction matrix combining subjective-objective and epistemological(knowledge)-ontological(existence), which allows him to assert that perspectivalism and multiple descriptions are perfectly consistent with (a certain type of non-naïve) realism.
| Subjective | Objective | |
|---|---|---|
| “Rembrandt was the greatest painter” | “gravitation is governed by the inverse square law” | Epistemology (knowledge) |
| pains, tickles | mountains, molecules | Ontology (existence) |
In eschewing talk of “ultimate” reality, however, I think this framework applies entirely within what Kant would call the empirical realm. If so, Searle’s ontological category is not making claims about transcendent reality / Kant’s noumenal world, so while pains & tickles, mountains & molecules may exist, they don’t necessarily really exist.