This issue is quite interesting and deserves careful consideration. First of all, one should not confuse the concepts of “philosophy” and “philosophy of science”, since these are different things. The philosophy of science is a more specific area of philosophy; it can relate to any existing science: mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc.
Philosophy is studied fundamental principles and general characteristics, it is a kind of system of values and worldviews. The subject of the philosophy of science in this case is the field of knowledge of a particular science, it is here that one can include discussions about the possibilities of science, about the scope of its application.
Historical development
Philosophy is of great importance for modern science, in the entire history of development, it has had a serious impact on science. Any science, when it was just in its infancy, was originally based on philosophy, on its achievements. We can say that almost any science has evolved from philosophy.
The formation of science took place in several stages. At the very beginning, scientists and thinkers did not have any data, and all their arguments were based only on their own observations and thoughts. Thus, before being formed, each science was "probed" at a philosophical level. After that, it already began to develop, specifics appeared in it, the first experiments and calculations began, which already helped to obtain accurate data.
Philosophical thinking helped to determine the possibilities and prospects of science, as well as the possible boundaries of its application. At the same stage, the methodology and basic concepts of the philosophy of science were formed.
Based on the foregoing, we can say that the subject of the philosophy of science is directly science itself, its capabilities and development prospects.
For the first time the term "philosophy of science" appeared in 1878. He was used in his work “Logic and Philosophy of Science” by the German scientist Dühring. She planned through her work to try to expand the boundaries and scope of the application of logic. Since then, this terminology has begun to be actively used by other scientists. Even Plato and Aristotle studied the philosophy of science, calling it the structure and development of scientific knowledge. Already then it was said that the philosophy of science is inextricable with the theory of knowledge, later these ideas were also traced in the works of other prominent scientists.
Philosophy of Science in the Modern World
Often you may come across such an opinion that philosophy is useless for modern science. However, this is not so, the object and subject of the philosophy of science remained the same.
Science requires sacrifice, the sacrifice of any scientist is that he must be prepared, that his achievements may be criticized over time, or will be changed. Of course, the names of great scientists remain in history, but each of them worked for the common good. The achievements of one scientist will always be used in other studies that help to make new discoveries.
In the modern world, the subject of the philosophy of science is the worldview of society, the place of this science in the modern world, its significance for development. Now very often you can hear that science brings not only good, in the form of the development of society, new achievements, etc., but can also lead to the most negative and terrible consequences.
Science and its achievements are blamed for many technological disasters, wars and accidents. She is credited with many changes in society, both negative and positive. These include the Chernobyl disaster, a significant environmental degradation, modern wars, human problems in the social sphere, such as isolation from nature, the rapid pace of life, and more.
At the same time, disputes are constantly being held, various points of view are expressed, and arguments for and against are proposed. All this is included in the concept of "subject of philosophy of science." Everyone often encounters something similar in modern society.
Indeed, modern science is a worthy and interesting subject of study. Especially now, when it has an impact on all spheres of life, and many areas of knowledge overlap.