Positivism

Positivism

August Comte is the father of Positivism According to positivisms, “if sociology is to study and acquire knowledge of social life, it must be a science and must follow the standard method of the sciences.” Sociology, hence, must use the positivist’ methods to discover social law. “The idea of treating social science”, Comte explained in system of positive polity, “as an application of mathematics in order to give it a positive character had its source in the metaphysical prejudice that outside of mathematics there can be no real certainty.” Therefore, August Comte was considered as the fore fronter  of the development of positivistic sociology.

Some of his ideas are based strictly on the positive principles while there are also many other ideas, which are anything but positive. That is why, no doubt, it has been said, “The father of positivism was the least positive of men.” Although Comte’s positivism is a highly abstract concept and does not provide us with a neat meaning, we shall try to explain it from a general point of view. As a prelude to exemplifying Comte’s positivistic analysis of sociological investigation, it has been aptly remarked by Barnes and Becker that “Comte’s fundamental methodological position is that, if human knowledge is to be extended in the future, it must be accomplished through the application of the positive or scientific method of observation, experimentation, and comparison.” It has further been said that: “From Saint Pierre. Montesquieu. Condorcet, and Saint Simon he secured his conception of Sociology on the basic and directive science, which must form the foundation of art of politics.

One meaning which Comte attaches to the term positive is “Scientific ,he believes that all phenomena whatsoever are governed by “invariable natural laws”, theological or metaphysical laws and  deduction will not do, we must adhere to must adhere to the methods of science; because “nothing fruitful can be hoped for from the metaphysicians. Comte’s structures   upon their methods and results are particularly vigorous and, to many   equaly convincing”

This scientific approach to all the phenomena and thereby to all knowledge is positivism. It is anit-metaphysical, factual and inductive and investigation of social phenomena, it lays emphasis on observation and sification. It abandons the search for an absolute idea and replaces I “basic interpretation that social movements are necessarily subject to in ant physical laws, rather than being governed by some kind of will.

In the Theological and Metaphysical men seek a cause, or an resend the positive, they are content with a law, and are interested in observation classification. To borrow an illustration from an able English disciple of Com Dr. Bridges : “Take the phenomenon of the sleep produced by opium Arabs are content to attribute it to the “Will of God.” Molier’s  medical students Comte’s methodology is very much related to the method of the natural sciences. According to him, societies should be studied using the same methods as in the natural science and his approach is known as positivism accounts for it by a soporific principle contained in the opium. The mode physiologist knows that he cannot account for it at all. He can simply observe analyse and experiment upon the phenomena attending the action of the drun and classify it with other agents analogous in character.

Comte believes that both theological and metaphysical speculations, as he uses the terms, are likely to be fictitious as well as truth, and that there is no way of determining either of them distinctly.” He, therefore, holds that “theological and metaphysical philosophy do not hold sway today except in the system of social study. They must be excluded from his final refuge. 

Therefore, in the study of social phenomena, it would be better if we insist on the observation and classification of data and thus be more accurate in our approach. This would relieve man of his past vagaries. Positivism, or science, does not attempt to go beyond the world of phenomena.  Comte admits that there exists an unknown, even a unknowable reality. “He is”, says Dr. Bridges, “well aware of the mystery that lay beyond the world of phenomena. He felt it at every step, as the sailor is aware of the unfathomable ocean across which he steers his path. But since it is not give to man to penetrate that mystery, he has to turn his activities to the region where they will bear fruit ….. The ultimate source of gravitation, the ultimate constitution of matter, the full and final explanation of heat, electricity chemical affinity—these things are forever hidden from us: Also unknown us are origin of life and the first promptings of love. The why and whence of things we cannot know; enough for us to see something of the how law of their working.

It is clear from the above statements of Dr. Bridges that, in the opinion of Comte, we cannot, and should not reasonably try to determine causes. The determination of the underlying causes of different phenomena would be a mere ‘guess’ On the basis of our observation and classification we can find out the uniformities and can formulate the laws of their working Thus, the observation and classification of data are the most important elements of the methodology of Comte’s positivism. Comte claims that his positivism is neither atheistic, nor in any way, concerned with the super-natural. “Positivism is concerned with the real rather than the fanciful, with useful knowledge rather than all knowledge, with facts that are certain to the degree that prevision is possible. It is concerned with precise knowledge rather than vague impression, with ever-changing organic truth rather than the eternal varieties, with the relative rather than the Absolute. Finally, positivism is sympathetic, in that it binds in one fellowship all those who share its spirit and methods. In short, positivism (science) is a mode of thought which can be universally accepted.”

The  most important  aim of positivism is to liberate human mind from the strings of theological and metaphysical conceptions; to bring the study, or Investigation, of social phenomena to a certain scientific level: and to introduce among them the scientific observation of their laws which have given us physics, chemistry, physiology.

 

Positivism as a Religion

 

Comte ultimate purpose was the reorganization of society on positive principles. A reorganization of society can only be founded on intellectual and spiritual unity. But the achievement of this unity is directly related to the state of knowledge. Hence, in the final analysis, society is to be organized on the firm foundation of knowledge, and this knowledge can only be achieved through positive principles, Positivism is, thus, a religion for humanity. From the Positivist Society (Paris, 1848) comes the following explicit statement of this aspect of positivism:

 “Positivism is a scientific doctrine which aims at continuous increase of the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of all human societies, and in particular of the societies or nations of Europe. It seeks to affect this object by special modes of instruction and education.

 

Positivism has three divisions:

 

(1) Philosophy of the sciences, summed up in the conclusion that mankind must rely solely on its own exertions for the amelioration The Sciences coordinated in this philosophy are mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, sociology and ethics.

(2) Scientific religion and ethics Positive religion has nothing to do with any super-rural or extraterrestrial been: it is the Religion of humanity. The moral code of suites ism may be summed up the physical, intellectual and moral amelioration with view of becoming more and more fit for the service of others

(3) Positive politics, aiming at the suppression of war and the formation of the Commonwealth of European States In this transformation of society Positivism repudiates all violent process dare. It acts by demonstration and persuasion, not by compulsion. Its device : Love the Principle: Order the Basis: Progress the End. Morally its formula is : Live for Others. It was this part of positivism that shocked and saddened Mill so much so that he was prepared, as he told us to weep at this melancholy decadence of a great intellect.” At any rate, Comte’s positivism in both science and religion and he believed that progress of mankind can only be made certain by a harmonious and balanced blending of science and religion these two. Stages of Thinking and Social Organization.

Another important contribution of Comte to social thought is that he traces a direct relationship between the stages of human thinking and social organization. In other words. Comte’s contention is that each type of human thinking represents a particular type of social organization.When human mind was in the theological state, political events, for example, were explained by the will of the God, and political authority was based on divine right. Military and monarchical social organization was the key-note to the theological thinking. Kings were considered as the direct representatives of, or, next to God on earth, ruling the society under the direct dictums of that God, the Almighty the King of kings. The laws or rules, governing the people enjoyed divine sanction, and therefore, none could question or reason such laws, but must! obey and follow them as they were. Any violation of such divine laws was! sure to meet the worst punishment in the “Divine Court”, which, on the earth. was, of course, headed by the ruling king. His words were law, or the dictums of God”.

In the metaphysical state of mind, the political authority was based on the doctrines of abstract right. Divine rights were dropped, and in their place, natural right determined the political relations of human beings. The legal aspect of social organization developed, with the result that it tended to be formal and structural. The absolute authority of the king decreased, and the seeds of the sovereignty of the people were sowed.

Finally, when the positive stage is reached, society also enters into an Industrial era. At this stage, the whole of our knowledge is characterized by Positivity, or scientific, and homogeneity. Because of this scientific outlook, material inventions and therefore, proper utilization of natural resources are possible. The gains of such a change are enormous “The new philosophical Unity will now in its turn regenerate all the elements that went to its own Formation. The mind will pursue knowledge without wasteful friction of conflicting methods and mutually hostile conceptions: education will be regenerated; and society will reorganize itself on the only possible base—a homogeneous philosophy.”” With all these, the spiritual or intellectual unification of society is complete.

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