Why scientists who claim philosophy is dead are still practicing it
In short: Modern science often treats philosophy as an obsolete relic of theology or ancient mysticism. However, the very act of asserting that science is the only path to truth is a philosophical stance in itself. To understand how we know what we know, we must look at where science began.
In the early days of human inquiry around 500 BCE, there was no clear boundary between science, philosophy, and religion. The transition toward what we now recognize as science arguably began with the pre-Socratics, who sought to understand the underlying natures of things that dictated their behavior. Aristotle is often cited as the first actual empirical scientist in this lineage.
The formal separation occurred when 'natural philosophy'—the study of the physical world and its inherent nature—was distinguished from moral philosophy, which addresses human life, ethics, and metaphysics. The term 'natural' itself derives from the Latin 'natus,' meaning 'in-born.' This concept was originally applied to living things but was extended to non-living matter, creating the framework for natural philosophy.
The rise of Empiricism after Francis Bacon further solidified this relationship, with thinkers like Locke, Berkeley, Hobbes, and Hume seeking to elucidate science through philosophical inquiry. It wasn't until 1833 that William Whewell coined the term 'scientist.' Even then, the boundary remained porous; prominent figures like Charles Babbage and Buckland continued to write philosophical tomes alongside their scientific work.
Today, even when modern figures like Stephen Hawking claim the philosophical enterprise is dead, such a declaration remains a deeply philosophical act. Philosophy of science serves as the primary site of 'epistemic action.' It investigates how we acquire knowledge, why those methods work, and what their fundamental limitations are. Even the belief that science exhausts all possible knowledge-gathering is a position that requires philosophical defense.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: John Wilkins - Philosophy of Science - An Introduction
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