Advice Quote by Elliott Sober
“Methodological naturalism gives advice to scientists about what they should include in their theories. There is a second type of methodological naturalism that gives advice to philosophers, which I call "methodological naturalismp." It says that the methods that philosophers should use in assessing philosophical theories are limited to the methods that scientists ought to use in assessing scientific theories.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Philosophy of Biology, Elliott Sober, 1999
Methodological naturalism directs scientists to include only empirically testable elements in theories and extends this restriction to philosophical methods.
In simple terms: Philosophers should use scientific methods only.
Key Takeaway
Apply scientific rigor to philosophy.
Themes
philosophy
science
methodology
epistemology
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
theoretical
academic
When to use this quote
- research design
- ethical analysis
- policy evaluation
Key Concepts
naturalism
empiricism
theory assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- Can all philosophical issues be resolved scientifically?
- What limits does this impose on metaphysics?
A Different Perspective
Philosophical questions may need non‑empirical reasoning.
