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Single Idea 12116

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / G. Scientific Philosophy / 3. Scientism ]

Full Idea

We may look upon the positive philosophy as constituting the only solid basis for the social reorganisation that must terminate the crisis in which the most civilized nations have found themselves for so long.

Gist of Idea

Only positivist philosophy can terminate modern social crises

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.28

A Reaction

He is proposing not only to use positivist methods to solve social problems (he coined the word 'sociology'), but is also proposing that positivism itself should act as the unifying belief-system for future society. Science will be our religion.

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]