Summary |
Unity of science is, most basically, the idea that all fields of science are in some way united. The most well-known thesis of the unity of science is that all fields of science will ultimately be reduced to fundamental physics, thereby demonstrating the basis for all scientific laws in the universal laws of physics. This extreme form of reductionism was prominent in philosophy of science in the mid-twentieth century. In response, a number of philosophers have since advocated for the disunity of science. Very different views of the unity of science have also been put forward; these focus instead on the sciences' shared methods, shared language, or shared aims. A notable example is the Vienna Circle's programmatic unity of science movement. |