text: is philosophy a form of social science? i would like to know if this would qualify as a social science in college. no, philosophy is not a social science.  in college it is usually categorized as part of the humanities and arts section or department.  the difference between philosophy and social science is that philosophy is a belief system based on the use of reason and logic (metaphysics), while the social sciences are a belief system based on empirical observation to find truth or science.  thus, a social science like sociology is based on the actual physical study of society to explain social phenomena, but a philosophy like ethics or existentialism is based on the the use of thought experiments and rational thinking to explain human behavior and society.