Philosophy divides into scientific questions and extrarational commitments

Evidence

What is conventionally called ‘philosophy’ consists of two very different elements. On the one hand, there are questions which are scientific or logical; these are amenable to methods as to which there is general agreement. On the other hand, there are questions of passionate interest to large numbers of people, as to which there is no solid evidence either way. … A ‘philosophy’, in a very usual sense of the word, is an organic whole of such extrarational decisions. It is in regard to ‘philosophy’ in this sense that Marx’s contention is largely true. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2852

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes two senses of ‘philosophy’ — technical/logical vs. social/practical.
• XREF: Echoes the later analytic/continental divide and anticipates the demarcation problem in philosophy of science. — connects to: Philosophy occupies a contested intellectual middle ground between theology and science — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 40; Experience shows that mechanistic questions yield scientific knowledge while teleological ones do not. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 362; Intellectuals must admit ideology rather than claim value-free science — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 435 (+2 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2852

Broader Connections

• Experience shows that mechanistic questions yield scientific knowledge while teleological ones do not. #exemplifies (0.85) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 362
• Philosophy occupies a contested intellectual middle ground between theology and science #expands (0.75) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 40
• The truth of ideas is independent of their social origins #expands (0.75) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 210