The 6 Differences Between Psychology And Philosophy
Two disciplines that are very similar but are not the same. We explain how to differentiate them.
It is very common to confuse philosophy with psychology. These two areas of knowledge deal with some similar topics and also try to explain the nature of our thoughts.
For example, both philosophy and psychology ask questions such as: what is consciousness? Do our thoughts faithfully reflect what we have around us? What types of human relationships are the most desirable? How do we build our own identity?
However, it is undeniable that between these two kingdoms there are great differences by which we understand that the two are relatively independent of each other. Next we will see how they differ.
Distinguish psychology and philosophy
No, philosophy and psychology are not simply about “describing the mind” or “ideas. ” If so, they would be indistinguishable, but they are not. In them there are many unique characteristics that we can look at to know, for example, if the content of a book has more than one or the other, or if a certain way of being interested in the world of ideas has more to do with the work of thinkers or with behavioral science researchers.
Let’s see what these differences are.
1. The use of the scientific method
The idea that both psychology and philosophy deal with very abstract ideas related to the human mind has meant that, simplifying, many people believe that the difference between one and the other is that in one case tables and graphs are used to present conclusions and not in the other. As if everything were a matter of aesthetics in the way in which theories and hypotheses are defended.
But this difference is superficial, and expresses a much deeper one: philosophy does not depend on the way in which theories and hypotheses are contrasted through experiments and research, while psychology does, because it provides knowledge only through the scientific method.
That means that a philosopher can work relatively independently creating their own theories from home, but psychologists need to work as a team and have the resources to investigate if they want to produce knowledge.
2. One talks about morality, the other doesn’t
Morality is one of the most important branches of philosophy, since it dedicates many efforts to create models of ethics that allow us to live by establishing priorities and knowing at all times what is appropriate and what is not.
Psychology, on the other hand, does not set itself this goal, and simply tries to create theories and hypotheses that allow us to understand human behavior.
3. One involves all the sciences, the other does not
Philosophy is the basis of all sciences, because it allows examining the presuppositions on which theories, research methodologies or the use made of scientific knowledge are based.
Psychology, on the other hand, is just one of the plots of scientific knowledge, and although it is related to other sciences (especially biology), they do not depend on it to exist.
4. One can aspire to know reality in a faithful way, the other cannot
Within philosophy there are currents of thought according to which, if certain philosophical principles are respected, it is possible to know the objective reality behind what our senses tell us.
Psychology, on the other hand, does not pretend to know exactly an objective and universal truth that is beyond our beliefs and opinions, but rather tries to study our mind, with all its defects and biases. The correctness or not of these mental biases and shortcuts that we constantly take without realizing it will only be taken into account to see how they work and in what way they are problematic or useful for us.
5. Consensus is sought in one, not in the other
In psychology it is tried that, by contrasting data obtained through different investigations directed by several teams of scientists, it is possible to create theories that, by consensus, are useful for everyone, either to create new forms of psychotherapy, to develop new forms education, etc.
In philosophy, however, this need to build knowledge in a coordinated way with thousands of other people does not exist. A philosophical system can be good or bad regardless of its reception, because it does not have to be tested.
6. One can exist only in books, the other does not
From everything we have seen so far, it is possible to arrive at another difference between philosophy and psychology : the former may exist only in pages of literature, while the latter always depends on research programs that are constantly being produced.
This means that the different philosophical proposals do not have to become out of date, while the psychological theories do age and need to be renewed in their evolution of constant improvement.
