text: 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.