more on this theme     |     more from this text

Single Idea 12106

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / G. Scientific Philosophy / 2. Positivism ]

Full Idea

In the positive state, the human mind, recognizing the impossibility of obtaining absolute truth, gives up the search for hidden and final causes. It endeavours to discover, by well-combined reasoning and observation, the actual laws of phenomena.

Gist of Idea

Positivism gives up absolute truth, and seeks phenomenal laws, by reason and observation

Source

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

Book Ref

Comte,Auguste: 'Introduction to Positive Philosophy', ed/tr. Ferré,Frederick [Hackett 1988], p.2

A Reaction

[compressed] Positivism attempted to turn the Humean regularity view of laws into a semi-religion. It is striking how pessimistic Comte was (as was Hume) about the chances of science revealing deep explanations. He would be astoundeds.

The 14 ideas from Auguste Comte

12114 Science can drown in detail, so we need broad scientists (to keep out the metaphysicians) [Comte]
12116 Only positivist philosophy can terminate modern social crises [Comte]
12108 All real knowledge rests on observed facts [Comte]
12109 We must observe in order to form theories, but connected observations need prior theories [Comte]
12107 Positivism explains facts by connecting particular phenomena with general facts [Comte]
12115 Introspection is pure illusion; we can obviously observe everything except ourselves [Comte]
12113 The search for first or final causes is futile [Comte]
12110 We can never know origins, purposes or inner natures [Comte]
12104 All ideas must be understood historically [Comte]
12105 Our knowledge starts in theology, passes through metaphysics, and ends in positivism [Comte]
12111 Positivism is the final state of human intelligence [Comte]
12112 Metaphysics is just the oversubtle qualification of abstract names for phenomena [Comte]
12106 Positivism gives up absolute truth, and seeks phenomenal laws, by reason and observation [Comte]
7491 The phases of human thought are theological, then metaphysical, then positivist [Comte, by Watson]