{{Short description|Sciences other than fundamental physics}} In the philosophy of science, the '''special sciences''' are all sciences other than fundamental physics, including, for example, chemistry, biology, and neuroscience. The distinction reflects a view that "all events which fall under the laws of any science are physical events and hence fall under the laws of physics".<ref name=fodor />
In this view, all sciences except fundamental physics are special sciences. However, the legitimacy of this view, and the status of other sciences and their relation to physics, are unresolved matters. Jerry Fodor, a key writer on this subject, refers to "many philosophers" who hold this position, but in an opposing argument he has argued for ''strong autonomy'', concluding that the special sciences are not even in principle reducible to physics.<ref name=fodor>{{cite journal |last=Fodor |first=J. |year=1974 |title=Special Sciences (Or: The disunity of science as a working hypothesis) |journal=Synthese |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=97–115|doi=10.1007/BF00485230 |s2cid=46979938 |url=https://philarchive.org/rec/FODSSO-2 }}</ref> As such, Fodor has often been credited for having helped turn the tide against reductionist physicalism.<ref>{{cite book |first=Kim |last=Jaegwon |year=2005 |title=Physicalism, or something near enough |publisher=Princeton University Press |page=95}}</ref>
==See also== *{{anli|Emergence}} *{{anli|Emergentism}} *{{anli|Multiple realizability}} *{{anli|Reductionism}} *{{anli|Supervenience}} *{{anli|The central science}} *{{anli|Unity of science}}
==References== <references/>
Category:Philosophy of science Category:Reductionism Category:Emergence
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