The debate between science and philosophy is a fight between humanitarians and scientists that continues over the decades. Some argue the epistemological facet of science supersedes the dialectical analysis of philosophy and vice versa.
Science vs Philosophy
The difference between science and philosophy is that science deals with hypothesis testing based on factual data whereas philosophy deals with logical analysis based on reason. Researchers opine science depends on philosophical theories that have not yet found empirical validation.
Science also differs from philosophy as science is the branch of activities that deal with testing and proving the hypothesis related to natural phenomena whereas philosophy is a broad term relating to the logical reasoning of the nature of our reality, ethics and aesthetics, limitations of our thinking, and many more.
Another difference is in the way each branch was named. Science comes from the Latin word “Scientia” meaning “knowledge” whereas philosophy comes from the Greek word “Philosophia” meaning “love for wisdom”.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Science | Philosophy |
|---|---|---|
| Derived from | Latin word “Scientia” meaning “knowledge” | word “Philosophia” meaning “love for wisdom” |
| Basis | deals with hypothesis testing based on factual data | deals with logical analysis based on reason |
| Related areas | related to the natural phenomenon | logical reasoning of the nature of our reality, ethics and aesthetics, limitations of our thinking, etc. |
| Origin | originally a branch of philosophy, natural philosophy | Emerged from the basic search for knowledge |
| Practitioners are known as | Scientists | Philosophers |
What is Science?
Science is the stream of knowledge that deals with proving a hypothesis related to natural phenomenon and it encompasses empirical reasoning of hypothesis testing.
Science comes from the Latin word “Scientia” meaning “knowledge”, was initially found evolving in Egypt and Mesopotamia which was later merged with the stream of natural philosophy emerging in Greece about the same time.
Modern Science is an enterprise that consists of four streams and they are natural sciences, social science, formal sciences, and applied sciences.
Applied sciences deal with the application of the natural and formal sciences combined and consists of medicine and engineering.
What is Philosophy
Philosophy comes from the Greek word “Philosophia” meaning “love for wisdom”. The origins of this intellectual enterprise are rooted in the basic questions concerning human existence and the realities surrounding us.
Philosophy deals with logical analysis based on reason and is a broad term relating to the logical reasoning of the nature of our reality, ethics and aesthetics, limitations of our thinking, and many more.
Traditionally, western philosophy in the ancient and medieval era was highly dominated by religious thoughts and dictions from the church.
The main branches of philosophy include epistemology, metaphysics, mind and language, value theory, logic, science and mathematics, and history of philosophy.
Main Differences Between Science and Philosophy
- Modern Science is an enterprise that consists of four streams and they are natural sciences, social science, formal sciences, and applied sciences whereas main branches of philosophy include epistemology, metaphysics, mind and language, value theory, logic, science, and mathematics, and history of philosophy.
- Science originally was a branch of philosophy and was known as “natural philosophy” whereas philosophy deals with the relationship between our existence and our realities.
References
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