Relation of Philosophy and Science

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Philosophy and Science
Philosophy is a word of Greek origin meaning love of wisdom (Warburton 7). Philosophers pride themselves with questioning human existence. Philosophy has been a crucial element of all human civilizations. However, for many years, science has taken over man’s understanding of the universe. This has prompted many, especially in the science field, to dub philosophy dead. Furthermore, philosophy has failed to keep up with scientific discoveries. Despite the insignificance of philosophy in the modern world, the field continues to be recognized as essential to advancing human knowledge. Moreover, philosophy created the need to understand human existence and its surroundings.
Science and philosophy will always be related. Philosophy draws significantly from discoveries in science while imparting in it impulses of its universal ideologies. As stated, the general ideas that founded modern science were incepted by philosophical thought (Heller 17). For instance, the idea that things are made up of atomic structures was first voiced by Democritus. Also, ideas about natural selection were first coined by the Lucretius (Heller 2). Therefore, in theory, he anticipated what would become a scientific fact almost two centuries later.
Although philosophy has influenced the development of scientific knowledge, it has been enriched by significant progress in the sciences. Every scientific discovery is also a step forward in the development of philosophical methodology (Heller 53). Philosophical statements are the result of scientific facts. At the same time, scientific achievements are summed up in philosophical statements. Euclidian geometry influenced human understanding for centuries before Einstein’s advancements. Still, the mechanics proposed by Galileo and Newton helped form world-views. Similarly, the intellectual revolution produced by Copernicus changed man’s understanding of the universe and its components (Heller 53).
The laws of social science formulated by Marx, Engels, and Durkheim have also changed how people view their place within society. When tracing the history of social science, one cannot fail to note that while constructing their hypotheses, the researchers applied world-views opined by philosophers. In physics, all theorists constantly speak of philosophy with a deep understanding of its importance in the world. Therefore, the connection between philosophy and science is deep-seated.
Today, most people think that science has reached such significant levels of theoretical thought that it no longer needs philosophy (Gare 3). However, every scientist, particularly the theorist, is aware that philosophy drives their creative abilities. All theoreticians are guided by philosophical thought and as such, they inspire their pupils and readers to think as ph...