Single Idea 12108

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 4. Pro-Empiricism]

Full Idea

All competent thinkers agree with Bacon that there can be no real knowledge except that which rests upon observed facts.

Gist of Idea

All real knowledge rests on observed facts

Source

Auguste Comte (Intro to Positive Philosophy [1830], Ch.1)

Book Reference

Comte,Auguste: 'Introduction to Positive Philosophy', ed/tr. Ferré,Frederick [Hackett 1988], p.4


A Reaction

Are there any unobservable facts? If so, can we know them? The only plausible route is to add 'best explanation' to the positivist armoury. With positivism, empiricism became - for a while - a quasi-religion.

Related Idea

Idea 12379 You cannot understand anything through perception [Aristotle]