Is asking the why-Questions in philosophy more difficult Q's compared to asking the how-Questions in science?

Question

TWH 08222006

Answer 1

A philosophy question is more likely to be a 'what' question than a 'why' question - what is meaning, what is reason, what is knowledge, what is reality, what is truth, what is mind, what is morality.

Science does three things, it *describes* the physical world, it *explains* the behavior of the physical world, and it *predicts* that behavior. So science's questions are "how does X behave?", "why does X behave that way?", "how will X behave?"

The questions of science are far easier to answer because we can answer them using the evidence of our senses and using reason. The evidence of our senses is little if any use in answering philosophy's questions - it has little more than the evidence of reason to work with.

This is not to say that science is irrelevant to philosophy - far from it. The findings of science have influenced philosophy in many ways. Some scientists have tried (and are still trying) to reduce philosophy to science - but they will never succeed in that reduction because there will always be fundamental questions that science cannot even address let alone answer.

Answer 2

Philosophy is a field of study that includes diverse subfields such as aesthetics, epistemology,logic,ethics and metaphysics, in which people asks questions such as whether God exists, What is the nature of reality; whether knowledge is possible and what makes actions right or wrong. The fundamental method of philosophy is the use of reasoning to evaluate arguments concerning these questions. HOwever, the exact scope and methodology of Philosophy is not strict. The term of Philosophy means love of wisdom.

Science refers to any knowledge or trained skill especially when this is attained by verifiable means. Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on empirisms, experimentation, and methodological naturalism. as well as the organized body of knowledge humans have gained by such research. Scientists maintain that scientific investigation must adhere to the scientific method . a process for evaluating the empirical knowledge which explains observable events in nature as a a result of natural causes rejecting supernatural. Science doesn't and can not produce absolute and unquestionable truth Science produces useful models which allows us to make often useful predictions.

Science attempts to describe what is, but avoids trying to determine what is. God and religion and the supernatural have no place in science. That's why a lot of scientists are agnostics or atheists. What they can not prove they don't believe. Philosophy may refer to a general world view or to a specific ethic or belief. Based on these explanations, how to science questions are more difficult to address than Philosophy questions.

Even though, Philosophy questions can not be answered empirically; that is evidence observable by the senses and proven by experimentation. I had a hard time grappling with this issue. One can address philosphical
questions with good logic and reasonings.and wisdom. Science questions require more knowledge of facts and proofs and the use of empirical, logical and mathematical methods.
Besides, in Philosophy there's room for anything. In Science it only includes natural phenomena and testable theories.

Sorry for the lengthy answer. This required a lot of reading and i tried to summarize.

Answer 3

Hard sciences: physic, chemistry, biology, math are subject to experiements in labs and repeation allows applicable answers to science question. Philosophy unfortunately has few if any "laws" gather in from Francis Bacon's experimental model. What is meaning of life compared to what is "life"(biology)? former may never be defined and accepted, while the latter will be accepted as true and usable as is law of gravity.

Answer 4

Ye it is, because in science you only look in the searcher for the answer if you does not know, in philosophy you have to think and write what you think

Answer 5

it's always possible to ask why only two times, more than that it doesn't make sense at all. in science there is always a theory behind every question due to its discovery which leads to its existence as a science.

Answer 6

the why questions are the most difficult. you have to know the reason or the principle behind. if you get that, no problem with the how.

Answer 7

I am married to a Philosopher.Except for a few thoughts it all boils down to "Bullshit".Excuse my french.