What's the relationship between Philosophy and Science?

Answer 1

Science is a subset of philosophy.

The easiest way to describe science is as whatever is produced by using the scientific method. This is a process founded principally upon objective measurement. Something is objective if it doesn't matter who does it, where, or when, as long as the correct steps are followed in the production and observation of the phenomenon. And this requirement of being objective is actually a pretty strict one.

One example of such is that it usually requires some kind of constant, external reference point. You can't just say, "Does it take a long time for the bus to arrive?" - different people have completely different ideas of what a long time is. Instead, you use some kind a timepiece so that anyone who measures with a correct timepiece will get the same answer.

Requiring measurement against objective references is essentially what differentiates science from some other forms of philosophy. There is no yardstick by which we can measure 'ethics' or 'divinity' or the 'best way to live'. If we ever develop one, those fields will probably just be tucked into science. This is actually a good proof that all sciences are philosophies - if you go back far enough, you can find times when any of them lacked the proper tools to be objective, and each was universally considered to be a part of philosophy at that time. Many institutions STILL refer to science as 'natural philosophy'.

Both science and philosophy have another characteristic that can differentiate them from other pursuits: they try to be useful and add to or correct the total of human knowledge. Thus new philosophies tend to replace - or at least elaborate on - the old. Argument and peer review are considered essential in both, and even philosophers tend to consider ideas which cannot possibly ever be falsified as belonging more to the realm of fiction writers than actual philosophy.

Art (as an example of a non-philosophical study) may attempt to outshine other art, but each piece is still valid in its own way. You cannot refute the Mona Lisa - that's a non-sequitur. Nor can there ever be a 'perfect' cake. Different people like different things and different formulations serve different purposes. This kind of view is unacceptable for science and it is unacceptable for philosophy.

Answer 2

Both of these are huge areas that do somewhat similar and somewhat different things.

Science deals with the physical world, empirically -- by studying it or experimenting on it or both.

Philosophy deals with any and everything -- the best philosophy takes into account what scientists have found, but it also addresses just things as logic, ethics, and fundamental questions (What does it mean to say that something exists? for example, or How do we know things; what does it mean to know; and such).

There's a bunch of ways they overlap.

There's such a thing as Philosophy of Science, for instance -- What is science? How does and should science work? When, how, and even whether we should accept what science says?

Good practitioners in each keep a firm eye on the other.

Since everything is relevant to philosophy, good philosophers have a reasonably strong understanding of science.

Since science is saying things about the world, good scientists understand what it means to do so, and when they can and can't say what they know.

In short, you've asked a huge question about two huge things; simple, single-dimensional answers won't do.

Answer 3

Philosophy, the Theory of Intelligent Thought Science, the Proof of Intelligent Thought

Answer 4

Philosophy motivates the scientist. As all scientists, when (as the philosopher) they arrive at a conclusion, they set out to find out if they are right. When a philosophy and a science agree, they have a universal truth about the world we live in.

Answer 5

science and the scientific method look to find "proven" truth.

as in being able to test or experiment on gravity.

philosophy seeks to bring meaning to life & understand the posibilities of life. There is very little 'proving' .... it is all about ideas.

so the relationship between them ?.?.?.? it depends on the people. I think they can get along and have a nice relationship..... however, if i have to "prove" everything for me it becomes tedious. On the other hand if I'm unable to verify facts then nothing makes any sense at all.

Answer 6

well i just read a book on ancient Greek philosophy ,an after reading it i figure it is time ,space and math.space travail without leaving the earth to go to the future or back in time.Plato-zoto.
Connecticut sate university is actually building a machine to travel one either back or forward in time.check the web just punch in ancient Greek philosophy you'll see.

Answer 7

philosophy includes what science can't see but can now prove with sensitive quantifiable instrumentation.

philosophers are scientists ... scientists are philosophers.

and if you meet one which says to the other..."i am right"..it is because that one is satisfied with their knowledge.

but...if that one closes the mind to full truth. their satisfactions will be in vain.

philosophy is mind/spirit inclusive for a body.
science is mind/matter predisposed to discover what animates it to mind/matter whatsoever.

scientists were little boys/girls with issues of love and control.
philosophers are to show these scientists their issues of small mind.

and the lawyers...............are language scientists preparing to mount philosophy.


onwards and upwards all of you


be well

Answer 8

Philosophers are lazy scientists
that don't want to get their hands dirty.

Theoretical physics, neuroscience, lingustics, mathematics, logic, politics, ethics, aesthetics... everything has a philosophy behind it, and as soon as you start looking for evidence or trying to apply and extend a theory, you move into the territories that are technical and practical, which may help start a new philosophical thesis, but work and theory are distinct.

Answer 9

philosophy deals with most general laws that is applied in all sciences for example what is phonomenon ? deteminism, conflict, quantity, quality etc they are all useful for all of sciences.

Answer 10

Both are searching for truths. Science uses measurment and presumptions of fact. Philosophy just uses presumptions.