---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Philosophy ... is a science, and as such…"
description: "\"Philosophy ... is a science, and as such has no articles of faith; accordingly, in it nothing can be assumed as existing except what is either positive..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/arthur-schopenhauer-226_articles_philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has_2242530.jpg"
---

#  Philosophy ... is a science, and as such has no articles…

![“Philosophy ... is a science, and as such has no articles of faith; accordingly, in it nothing can be assumed as existing except what is either positively given empirically, or demonstrated through indubitable conclusions.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/arthur-schopenhauer-226_articles_philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has_2242530.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/arthur-schopenhauer-226_articles_philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has_2242530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/arthur-schopenhauer-226_articles_philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has_2242530.jpg)

> “Philosophy ... is a science, and as such has no articles of faith; accordingly, in it nothing can be assumed as existing except what is either positively given empirically, or demonstrated through indubitable conclusions.”

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Philosophy should rely only on empirical evidence or undeniable logical proof, rejecting faith‑based assumptions.

**In simple terms:** Philosophy needs proof, not faith.

Key Takeaway

Seek evidence‑based reasoning.

Themes

philosophy science epistemology

Mood

analytical skeptical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- academic research
- policy making
- critical thinking
- education

Key Concepts

empiricism logic skepticism

Questions to Reflect On

- What assumptions do you hold without proof?
- Can some beliefs be useful without evidence?

A Different Perspective

Pure empiricism may ignore useful metaphysical insights.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Articles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/articles/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Indubitable Conclusions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indubitable-conclusions-5089850/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-science-330528/) [Positively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positively/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/)

## Related quotes

> [Agnosticism, in fact, is not a creed, but a method, the essence of which lies in the rigorous application of a single principle. ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/agnosticism-in-fact-is-not-a-creed-but-a-method-the-essence-of-which/)

[Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/)

> [The assumption that animals are without rights, and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance, is a positively outrageous example…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-assumption-that-animals-are-without-rights-and-the-illusion-that/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“Why are these historical observations interesting?...they suggest that we should be careful about attributing our distinction between philosophy and science to earlier thinkers…The examples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-garber/why-are-these-historical-observations-interesting-they-suggest-that/)

[Daniel Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-garber/)

> [This is an extremely ambitious book. In addition to science and mathematics, Byers brings to bear insights from literature, philosophy, religion, history, anthropology, medicine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-auslander/this-is-an-extremely-ambitious-book-in-addition-to-science-and/)

[Joseph Auslander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-auslander/)

> [Philosophy is this amazing technique we've devised for getting reality to answer us back when we're getting it wrong. Science itself can't make those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/philosophy-is-this-amazing-technique-we-ve-devised-for-getting/)

[Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/)

> [My position is a naturalistic one; I see philosophy not as an a priori propaedeutic or groundwork for science, but as continuous with science.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/my-position-is-a-naturalistic-one-i-see-philosophy-not-as-an-a-priori/)

[Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/)

> [Philosophy is the science which considers truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/philosophy-is-the-science-which-considers-truth/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [Philosophy of science without history of science is empty; history of science without philosophy of science is blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imre-lakatos/philosophy-of-science-without-history-of-science-is-empty-history-of/)

[Imre Lakatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imre-lakatos/)

> [Wonder... and not any expectation of advantage from its discoveries, is the first principle which prompts mankind to the study of Philosophy, of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/wonder-and-not-any-expectation-of-advantage-from-its-discoveries-is/)

[Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/)

> [I think philosophers can do things akin to theoretical scientists, in that, having read about empirical data, they too can think of what hypotheses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nozick/i-think-philosophers-can-do-things-akin-to-theoretical-scientists-in/)

[Robert Nozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-nozick/)

> [Paradox is thus a much deeper and universal concept than the ancients would have dreamed. Rather than an oddity, it is a mainstay of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-poundstone/paradox-is-thus-a-much-deeper-and-universal-concept-than-the-ancients/)

[William Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-poundstone/)

> [When I got to college, I planned to be a math major, and, in addition to signing up for some math courses, I decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-kornblith/when-i-got-to-college-i-planned-to-be-a-math-major-and-in-addition-to/)

[Hilary Kornblith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-kornblith/)

> [“Philosophy is the science of first principles, those which before being considered empirically or formally, are uncertain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederico-rochaferreira/philosophy-is-the-science-of-first-principles-those-which-before/)

[Frederico Rochaferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederico-rochaferreira/)

> [Philosophy of science is about as useful to scientists as ornithology is to birds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/philosophy-of-science-is-about-as-useful-to-scientists-as-ornithology/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I don't think there's an interesting boundary between philosophy and science. Science is totally beholden to philosophy. There are philosophical assumptions in science and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/i-don-t-think-there-s-an-interesting-boundary-between-philosophy-and/)

[Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/)

## More by Arthur Schopenhauer

> [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“In accordance with such zeal, by reducing the external world to a matter of faith, he wanted merely to open a little door for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-accordance-with-such-zeal-by-reducing-the-external-world-to-a/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/that-human-life-must-be-some-kind-of-mistake-is-sufficiently-proved/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“Imitation and custom are the spring of almost all human action. The cause of it is that men fight shy of all and any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/imitation-and-custom-are-the-spring-of-almost-all-human-action-the/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [ \[T\]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between-man-and-man-ought-to-be-not/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [The eternal being..., as it lives in us, also lives in every animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-eternal-being-as-it-lives-in-us-also-lives-in-every-animal/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [there are very few who can think, but every man wants to have an opinion; and what remains but to take it ready-made from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/there-are-very-few-who-can-think-but-every-man-wants-to-have-an/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [It is not what things are objectively and in themselves, but what they are for us, in our way of looking at them, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/it-is-not-what-things-are-objectively-and-in-themselves-but-what-they/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [ “\[Materialism\] seeks the primary and most simple state of matter, and then tries to develop all the others from it; ascending from mere mechanism,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/materialism-seeks-the-primary-and-most-simple-state-of-matter-and/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [In order to increase his pleasures, man has intentionally added to the number and pressure of his needs, which in their original state were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-order-to-increase-his-pleasures-man-has-intentionally-added-to-the/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“For the will, as that which is common to all, is for that reason also common: consequently, every vehement emergence of will is common,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/for-the-will-as-that-which-is-common-to-all-is-for-that-reason-also/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“Alles Urdenken geschieht in Bildern: darum ist die Phantasie ein so nothwendiges Werkzeug desselben, und werden phantasielose Köpfe nie etwas Großes leisten, - es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/alles-urdenken-geschieht-in-bildern-darum-ist-die-phantasie-ein-so/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [Intellect is invisible to the man who has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/intellect-is-invisible-to-the-man-who-has-none/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [Newspapers are the second hand of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/newspapers-are-the-second-hand-of-history/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“In travelling where novelties of all kinds press in upon us, mental food is often supplied so rapidly from without that there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-travelling-where-novelties-of-all-kinds-press-in-upon-us-mental/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

[Explore all 791 Arthur Schopenhauer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

## More Articles quotes

> [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [The strange thing with Wikipedia is that the first article that ever gets written about you will define your Wikipedia page forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/the-strange-thing-with-wikipedia-is-that-the-first-article-that-ever/)

[Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/)

> [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/)

[Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/)

> [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Authors of published papers and editors of scientific journals can, unfortunately, be slow to come to terms with criticism, and it's good that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gelman/authors-of-published-papers-and-editors-of-scientific-journals-can/)

[Andrew Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-gelman/)

> [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Over immense periods of time the intellect produced nothing but errors. A few of these proved to be useful and helped to preserve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/over-immense-periods-of-time-the-intellect-produced-nothing-but/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [I used to be a columnist for 'Golf Monthly' and have contributed articles for national newspapers based on the humour that is in abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/i-used-to-be-a-columnist-for-golf-monthly-and-have-contributed/)

[Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/)

> [There was an interesting article in Los Angeles Magazine about women directors. A woman director makes one bad independent film and her career is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-was-an-interesting-article-in-los-angeles-magazine-about-women/)

[Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/)

> [People went out there and they wrote articles and went on television shows saying that I am an operative that the CIA who used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-went-out-there-and-they-wrote-articles-and-went-on-television/)

[Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/)

> [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize,... The people are confirmed by the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tench-coxe/as-civil-rulers-not-having-their-duty-to-the-people-duly-before-them/)

[Tench Coxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tench-coxe/)

> [An article on playwrights in the Daily Mail , listed according to Hard Left, Soft Left, Hard Right, Soft Right and Centre. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/an-article-on-playwrights-in-the-daily-mail-listed-according-to-hard/)

[Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/)

> [I have always loved to read, and now that I have penned 10 novels and a few magazine articles, I have fallen seriously in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-benton-frank/i-have-always-loved-to-read-and-now-that-i-have-penned-10-novels-and/)

[Dorothea Benton Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-benton-frank/)

> [The definition of the right of suffrage is very justly regarded as a fundamental article of republican government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-definition-of-the-right-of-suffrage-is-very-justly-regarded-as-a/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Browse all 893 Articles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/articles/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Philosophy ... is a science, and as such has no articles of faith; accordingly, in it nothing can be assumed as existing except what is either positively given empirically, or demonstrated through indubitable conclusions.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Arthur Schopenhauer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has-no-articles-of-faith/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Articles"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has-no-articles-of-faith/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/arthur-schopenhauer-226_articles_philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has_2242530.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/arthur-schopenhauer-226_articles_philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has_2242530.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/arthur-schopenhauer-226_articles_philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has_2242530.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Philosophy ... is a science, and as such has no articles of faith; accordingly, in it nothing can be assumed…” — Arthur Schopenhauer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Arthur Schopenhauer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Philosophy ... is a science, and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has-no-articles-of-faith/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/philosophy-is-a-science-and-as-such-has-no-articles-of-faith/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
