This paper, from the viewpoint of epistemology, clarifies the position, role, and attributes of failure analysis and prevention in the development of science and technology. The discipline of failure analysis and prevention is multidisciplinary and inter-synthetical. It dependents on the development of both aplied sciences and pure sciences and has great positive effects on them.So, it is one of the most active factors in the conclusion of “Science and technology are the first productivity.” This paper also describes the dialectic relationship between failure analysis and failure prevention methodologically. While failure analysis is a process of converse thinking expost factor, which explores scientifically causes from results, the failure prevention is a process of prior thinking, which predicts results from causes.It is necessary to utilize the both thinking methods simultaneously and convert the afterwards analysis to the prior one for the development of science and technology. Finally, this paper summarizes the main contents, techniques, methodology, and future trends of failure analysis and prevention and the relationship between nondestructive testing and failure analysis and prevention.