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RE: Is philosophy a science? - With an example involving a bear (what more could you want?!)

in #philosophy7 years ago

Lovely, entirely. I did not know philosophers in the US use models and predictions, either. Seems odd, I agree.

And I agree with your argument on philosophy not being a science, not as the physical sciences are science at least. I will argue that philosophy is, indeed, a science of observation and of question, on which the physical sciences have their foundation (thus the interchanging aspects of the fields as you've eloquently elaborated in your article). Perhaps, yes, a cultural or regional influence in our understanding of what philosophy is--which is inevitable considering the differences in education systems and modules.

For instance, philosophy here in South Africa is grouped with and regarded a social science (as mentioned during our discussion prior). I do see philosophy as such a science as anthropology and sociology. The basis of all being observation, questioning, and understanding. While the physical sciences employ these traits as well, the social sciences rarely use models in hopes of predicting outcomes. The underlying matter of philosophy, or rather its importance and application, focus on the social, on the Self and Other, and the various aspects threaded between other fields of study on the social.

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Yes, I see your point. But although there is philosophy in social science, and philosophy of social science, there is also philosophy that is not social science.

And philosophy's basis is not observation. This might be debatable. highly depends on what you mean with 'observation'. And in the scientific sense of observation, philosophy does not deal with observation. Instead it deals with considering what a subject is, that observes.

All science is partly philosophical, btw. Also historically this can be seen, how sciences slowly defined their own domain as outside the realm of philosophy that was the main domain for a long time.

I do agree philosophy can often be rightfully applied to the social. Just as to the physical.