Recinos 1

Pablo José Recinos, A01020160

Professor Elizabeth Viernes

Theory of Knowledge – Group 300

8 April 2013

Medium Length TOK Assignment

What does it mean for a discipline to be a science?

We are to understand the concept of discipline as “an established branch of knowledge

with its own subject area and methods of engaging it (Bastian, p. 115).” The reason it is relevant

to define discipline at the beginning of this essay is because what follows is an attempt to explain

how and when a discipline is a science, and what does that mean; what the implications of such

relationship are. The definition of science, however, is much more complex, and shall be

reviewed in the aspects that are to come.

To engage the matter at hand, first we are to approach the relationship between discipline

and science. To what extent should a discipline be considered a science? If we were to see

science as a human activity or endeavor that seeks to understand, discover, and produce various

types of knowledge (e.g. scientific laws, natural patterns, etc.), and merge this concept with the

definition of discipline stated above, we would soon realize that for a discipline to be a science,

the pursuit of knowledge must be present; or else, it wouldn’t be a science. Now, does this mean

any discipline searching for knowledge is a science?

However, the following aspect of science rebuffs this last question: its systematic

methodology. Whether it is a strict and linear method, or a trial-and-error system, methodology

is present, and is accountable as an important strength found, in science. Returning to the

definition of discipline, we see that a discipline has “its own methods of engaging” (and

pursuing) knowledge. This creates the second link between a discipline and a science:

methodology.

Now, we have discussed so far what it takes for a discipline to be considered a science,

and we have approached merely the most basic qualifications needed to do so (i.e. to consider a

discipline a science). Nevertheless, we have come up with a new definition: a scientific discipline

(i.e. a discipline that is a science) is an established branch of knowledge with its own subject area

and accurate, systematic methods of engaging it, that seeks to understand, discover, and produce

knowledge.

Recinos 2

However, there are still several problematic questions to answer (e.g. how precise,

accurate, and specific should methods be to consider a discipline a science; what kind of

knowledge should a discipline seek to be considered a science; etc.?). Even the description of

science is, to a certain degree, ambiguous and open to some kinds of interpretation. As Julian

Friedland points out in his article, “Philosophy Is Not a Science,” “the dictionary defines

[science] as ‘any systematically organized body of knowledge on any subject.’ But this definition

is so vague that it betrays a widespread confusion as to what science actually is.” Still, for the

purposes of this essay, we will continue with our previously stated definition to embark on what

follows: the implications.

If a discipline is considered a science, according to the evidence and definitions presented

above, it points first to the presence of a pursuit of knowledge, which gives a specific purpose for

the discipline to seek. This leads then to the second implication: a discipline considered a science

involves systematic methodology is this pursuit of knowledge, which becomes a strength in said

discipline because it rules out (almost to its entirety) any possibility of ambiguity and

misinterpretation, leading to credible and precise knowledge. This methodology in turn leads to

replicable knowledge that gives said discipline a universal quality to it, due to the fact that

knowledge discovered will be true in any part of the world. Being a science also comprises the

use of sense perception, reason, imagination, emotion, and intuition to spark, feed, and conclude

pursuits of knowledge.

Summing it up, what it means for a discipline to be considered a science is more veracity

to the data found, more validity to its claims, and worldwide acceptance of the knowledge found

in this discipline. It also means that said discipline will have a very elevated degree of certainty

in the knowledge discovered, due to the precise and repeated methodology used to discover it. It

involves as well the ability to predict coming events based on patterns discovered in previous

investigations, all with a high level of precision and acceptance.

Word count: 700 words.

Recinos 3

Notes

1. The additions to the already-existent definition of discipline have been underlined (1).

Works Cited

Bastian, Sue, Vivek Bammi, Craig Howard, Julian Kitching, John Mackenzie, Manjula Salomon,

and David Wilkinson. "Chapter 8: Areas of Knowledge: An Overview." Theory of

Knowledge. Edinburgh: Pearson Education Limited, 2008. N. pag. Print.

Friedland, Julian. "Philosophy Is Not a Science." The New York Times: Opinionator. The New

York Times, 5 Apr. 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.

<http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/philosophy-is-not-a-science/>.