What relationship exists between philosophy and psychology?

Philosophy and psychology are two fields of study with a common place in history. Psychology arises from philosophy. It arises in order to include the empirical method when facing the questions that philosophy poses. For this reason, philosophy has contributed to psychology with various topics of study such as sensation, perception, intelligence and memory.

On the other hand, the solutions given by one field and another are different. Although they share study topics, they also have different points of view. Even using the same theories, the Philosophy and psychology often do not agree in their conclusions. At the same time, these lines of separation mean that from both camps the professionals of the other are seen as a kind of enemy.

Psychology and philosophy

The word psychology comes from the Greek words “psyche” and “logos” which mean, respectively, “soul” and “study.” Therefore, psychology comes to mean the study of the soul. Thus, in a simple way, we could say that psychology is the science in charge of the study of the mind and human behavior.

It is a field of study that tries to explain what happens in our black box and how these events affect our way of acting, taking into account the type of stimulation we receive. In this sense, psychology also aspires to know how people receive and interpret the information that comes to them through their senses.

For its part, The term philosophy comes from the Greek words “philo” and “sophia” which mean “love of wisdom.”. Philosophy has its purpose in solving problems that occur in reality.

It focuses on the study of a variety of perhaps more transcendent problems, such as existence, knowledge, truth, morality, beauty, mind and language. This is generally conducts its research in a non-empirical manner, whether through conceptual analysis, thought experiments, speculation or other a priori methods.

Similarities between philosophy and psychology

Psychology depends on philosophy for several reasons. Philosophy lends psychology a general vision of the human being that is the basis of a good part of psychological theories. The inverse relationship also occurs. Philosophy sometimes makes use of the scientific methodology of psychology to achieve its objectives. Both share theories and also objects of study.

Another similarity is that philosophy has contributed to psychology some of the topics it studies: sensation, perception, intelligence, memory and will. As has been said, Both share objects of study, although the way of studying them and the answers they give are different.. On the other hand, philosophy enters psychology in two ways. Through the relative hypotheses: to the mind and the appropriate ways to study it and through the general principles underlying scientific research.

Differences between philosophy and psychology

Although both disciplines examine people’s behaviors, they also present discrepancies. Some of the points in which they differ can be found in the methodology they use, their purposes and the fact that they take morals into account.

1. Method

Regarding the method, Philosophy works with conceptual categories and the relationships that exist between them. Therefore, it is open to any method. Psychology, on the other hand, relies on empirical evidence and statistics; making use of quantitative and also qualitative research.

2. Ultimate end

Regarding the end, philosophy has more intellectual purposes, while psychology sets its sights on therapy and intervention. Philosophy creates philosophical systems or categories that serve to explain reality. Psychology, instead of studying a whole like philosophy, seeks to isolate variables of human behavior.

Therefore, their theories try to take into account our biology – for example, with the study of our brain chemistry – and consider individual differences – no one exactly imitates the behavior of another person under the same circumstances. So, Psychology almost never addresses the search for a reality totally alien to the existence of people, something that historically has occurred in some philosophical proposals.

3. Conception of morality in philosophy and psychology

Another big difference between the two lies in the conception of morality. Philosophy seeks to explain everything, which includes the study of correct ways to behave. In philosophy there are various works regarding what is right and what is wrong. For its part, psychology does not enter into this debate. Although scales of ethics and morality have been proposed from psychology, their objective is not to study what is moral and what is not, but rather what different moralities exist.

4. Breadth

Philosophy examines and analyzes the theoretical, methodological and practical postulates that are issued in each of the aspects of human life. In this sense, psychology would study only a part of the knowledge that philosophy encompasses, that of the mind and human behavior.

5. Form of speech

In psychology, theories and hypotheses are formulated in a language agreed upon by the scientific community. In this way, the approach to universal laws on human behavior is favored.

On the other hand, in philosophy the personal expression of each author takes much more priority. In this sense, the same word or expression can mean very different things, depending on the philosopher who formulates it.

Philosophy and psychology study humans and their behaviors. Both present similarities and differences, even finding different interpretations for the same acts. Thus, the method that each one uses will condition the answers they offer us. Even so, both sometimes share theories and results that the other science integrates into its own almanac of knowledge.