Considering the Distinctions between Natural Philosophy and Science

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Taebe Khosravi ¹
• ا ا ²

¹ PhD student

² ا

10.22067/epk.2022.78240.1160

Abstract

Because of his philosophical method in studying nature and his attempt to intellectually prove natural propositions, Aristotle always sought to obtain perpetual and metaphysical results from the relationships in the universe. For this reason, natural philosophy lacked features such as falsifiability. With the scientific developments in Europe, this philosophical attitude, which was no longer considered as refelecting the reality of the world, changed and philosophers tried to introduce the method of observation, hypothesis, and induction as an efficient method in studying nature because they holded that this experimental method could describe the truth of the world. Thus, the philosophical and metaphysical view of nature gave way to the empirical and falsifiable view of experimental sciences. In addition to the distinctions created in the evolution of nature study, the method and goal of natural philosophy also changed to the new method and goal of experimental sciences. This major distinction in investigating the nature has had many consequences. In this article, we discuss these differences and developments.

Keywords

• experimental sciences
• natural philosophy
• Aristotle
• induction
• causation

Main Subjects

• Islamic Philosophy and Kalam

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