Philosophy is not a science in the sense that it can be proven under laboratory conditions. It is not a science at all. It is an art. Yes, it involves rules of logic. But logic can easily be led astray and become absurd. For example:
All cats have fur.
My dog has fur.
Therefore, my dog is a cat.
We can even argue that not all cats have fur, as in hairless cats. So philosophy can become a hair-splitting exercise in which we get bogged down in defining terms and allowing for exceptions to the rule. This kind of philosophy is bloodless and drab compared to philosophy that asks the deepest questions of life. It might mimic the scientific approach because of a system of rule, but it can lead to crazy conclusions.
Determining how we know what we know can never be an exact science. We can follow the rules of deductive and inductive reasoning but in the end, they are dry and lifeless. The deeper questions about who we are, why we are here, who is God, and what happens after we die cannot ever be examined in a laboratory. Therefore, philosophy is more of an art, depending on revelation and inspiration. It is not a science with measurable results and repeatable experiments.
All cats have fur.
My dog has fur.
Therefore, my dog is a cat.
We can even argue that not all cats have fur, as in hairless cats. So philosophy can become a hair-splitting exercise in which we get bogged down in defining terms and allowing for exceptions to the rule. This kind of philosophy is bloodless and drab compared to philosophy that asks the deepest questions of life. It might mimic the scientific approach because of a system of rule, but it can lead to crazy conclusions.
Determining how we know what we know can never be an exact science. We can follow the rules of deductive and inductive reasoning but in the end, they are dry and lifeless. The deeper questions about who we are, why we are here, who is God, and what happens after we die cannot ever be examined in a laboratory. Therefore, philosophy is more of an art, depending on revelation and inspiration. It is not a science with measurable results and repeatable experiments.
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