The Evolving Boundaries of Science and Philosophy: Bertrand Russell's Perspective
Student question: “What is difference between science and philosophy?“
Russell's answer: “I believe the only difference between science and philosophy is that science is what you more or less know and philosophy is what you do not know. Philosophy is that part of science which at present people choose to have opinions about, but which they have no knowledge about. Therefore every advance in knowledge robs philosophy of some problems which formerly it had. And so if there is any truth it will follow that a number of problems which had belonged to philosophy will have ceased to belong to philosophy and will belong to science.“
--Bertrand Russell, The Philosophy of Logical Atomism (1975), Lecture 8. Excursus into Metaphysics: What There Is (1918), Q and A session, p. 123-24
Considering the Relationship between Science and Philosophy from Bertrand Russell's Viewpoint
The statement by Bertrand Russell emphasises the connection between science and philosophy. Let's dissect what he means by each sentence in the quotation:
"Philosophy is that part of science which at present people choose to have opinions about, but which they have no knowledge about."
According to Russell, philosophy frequently addresses problems and concerns at the cutting edge of knowledge. People may have beliefs or ideas on these issues, but frequently these beliefs or ideas are not supported by factual information or empirical data. Philosophy deals with issues that might not yet have obvious answers and explores the limits between what is known and what is unknown.
"Therefore every advance in knowledge robs philosophy of some problems which formerly it had."
Some of the topics that were once the purview of philosophy are now addressed by science and the expansion of human understanding. Some of the philosophical issues and riddles are clarified as a result of the scientific investigation that improves our comprehension of the natural world. In other words, the need for philosophical speculating on some subjects declines as knowledge increases.
"And so if there is any truth it will follow that a number of problems which had belonged to philosophy will have ceased to belong to philosophy and will belong to science."
According to Russell, as we learn more and more truths about the world through scientific research, science will increasingly be the field in which we find these truths rather than philosophy. In essence, philosophy gives way to science because it offers clearer, more factual responses to topics that were earlier thought to be philosophical in character.
In conclusion, Bertrand Russell emphasises the fluidity of the link between science and philosophy. As science develops, it can answer some of the issues that philosophy frequently raises, transferring them from philosophy to science. Philosophy frequently wrestles with questions that are at the cutting edge of human understanding. This procedure exhibits the developing and symbiotic character of these two research areas.
Considering the Relationship between Science and Philosophy from Bertrand Russell's Viewpoint
The statement by Bertrand Russell emphasises the connection between science and philosophy. Let's dissect what he means by each sentence in the quotation:
"Philosophy is that part of science which at present people choose to have opinions about, but which they have no knowledge about."
According to Russell, philosophy frequently addresses problems and concerns at the cutting edge of knowledge. People may have beliefs or ideas on these issues, but frequently these beliefs or ideas are not supported by factual information or empirical data. Philosophy deals with issues that might not yet have obvious answers and explores the limits between what is known and what is unknown.
"Therefore every advance in knowledge robs philosophy of some problems which formerly it had."
Some of the topics that were once the purview of philosophy are now addressed by science and the expansion of human understanding. Some of the philosophical issues and riddles are clarified as a result of the scientific investigation that improves our comprehension of the natural world. In other words, the need for philosophical speculating on some subjects declines as knowledge increases.
"And so if there is any truth it will follow that a number of problems which had belonged to philosophy will have ceased to belong to philosophy and will belong to science."
According to Russell, as we learn more and more truths about the world through scientific research, science will increasingly be the field in which we find these truths rather than philosophy. In essence, philosophy gives way to science because it offers clearer, more factual responses to topics that were earlier thought to be philosophical in character.
In conclusion, Bertrand Russell emphasises the fluidity of the link between science and philosophy. As science develops, it can answer some of the issues that philosophy frequently raises, transferring them from philosophy to science. Philosophy frequently wrestles with questions that are at the cutting edge of human understanding. This procedure exhibits the developing and symbiotic character of these two research areas.
