WI: Empirical science never becomes a separate discipline?

What if empirical science never became a separate discipline in its own right, but instead remained a subsection of philosophy and natural theology? How would this have affected the subsequent intellectual, cultural and technological development of the world?
 
Since Doctorates in Science are still PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) I would argue that it isn't a separate discipline but still a subset of Philosophy albeit one that regards observations as being necessary but not sufficient.
 
Since Doctorates in Science are still PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) I would argue that it isn't a separate discipline but still a subset of Philosophy albeit one that regards observations as being necessary but not sufficient.

Yeah, but that's a bit like arguing that since every Act of Parliament in the UK is technically just a bit of advice to the Queen to pass a law saying so-and-so, legislative authority in the UK is really vested in the monarch rather than Parliament. I was talking about the de facto situation, not what theoretically obtains.
 
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