In the
philosophy of science, there are several definitions of
protoscience. Its simplest meaning (most closely reflecting its roots of +
science) involves the earliest eras of the
history of science, when the
scientific method was . Thus, in the late 17th century and early 18th century,
Isaac Newton contributed to the dawning sciences of
chemistry and
physics even though he was also an
alchemist who sought
chrysopoeia in various ways, some of which were unscientific. Our era views his as one of protoscience. Another meaning extends this idea into the present, involving the distinction between
hard and soft sciences, in which various sciences (or branches thereof) are ranked according to methodological rigor. In this
sense, the
physical sciences may be posited as science whereas
psychoanalysis may be labeled as protoscience because not all of its
theoretical basis is
empirical. Protoscience in this sense is sometimes distinguished from
pseudoscience by a genuine willingness to be changed through new evidence, as opposed to having theory that can always find a way to
rationalize a predetermined belief. Compare
fringe science, which is considered highly speculative or even strongly refuted. Some protosciences go on to become an accepted part of
mainstream science.
