Brown remarking on the possibility of a "Fifth Great Debate" has suggested that the debate could concern critical realism but goes on to say 'let us hope not, because the first four great debates were singularly pointless affairs, and the fifth, when it arrives, is unlikely to be any different.
Brown, mengomentari kemungkinan "Debat Besar Kelima", berkata bahwa perdebatan tersebut akan mendalami realisme kritis, namun juga 'berharap agar tidak terjadi, karena empat debat besar pertama mengurus hal-hal yang tidak jelas, dan jika debat kelima terjadi, topiknya tidak akan jauh berbeda.