The Physics PhD Still Carries Philosophy's Name
Arian Foster says science grew out of philosophy's questions about light, love, and beauty.
Dr. Starkid · Two Football Players Go Deep on Physics, God & the Universe | Arian Foster, NFL Running BackPhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy, even for a degree in astronomy and astrophysics.
Astrophysicist Dakotah Tyler said he did not know what the letters stood for before graduate school. Former NFL running back Arian Foster, a former philosophy major, said he did not know either.
Foster said the connection is that the questions philosophers asked became the scientific method. Philosophy began by asking what light is, what love is, and what beauty is, and those kinds of questions eventually developed into the method that lets people talk across the country on their phones.
Tyler said, "I have my doctorate of philosophy in astronomy and astrophysics."
Questions people ask
Does that mean physics PhD students have to study philosophy?
No. The philosophy part is the name of the degree, not the coursework. A student earning that doctorate studies astronomy and astrophysics, takes science classes, and does research on space.
What does Foster mean when he says those questions became the scientific method?
He means broad curiosity came first, then a formal way to test ideas. Philosophers asked what things are and why they happen, and over time those questions led to observation, experiment, and the shared method scientists use now.