Positivism is a variation of the philosophical theory called empiricism. This theory states that all knowledge is based on experience. There are two forms of positivism. Auguste Comte, a French philosopher, developed the first form of positivism in the 1800’s. The second form, known as logical positivism, originated during the 1920’s in a group of philosophers called the Vienna Circle.
Comte’s positivism
is based on his three-stage evolutionary account of history. According to Comte, human thought goes through three stages: (1) theological, (2) metaphysical, and (3) positive or scientific. In the theological stage, people explain existence in terms of the actions of divine beings. In the metaphysical stage, explanations are sought in terms of basic causes and principles. In the positive stage, people use the positive method to explain existence. This method consists of reasoning by reference to observation alone.
Comte urged that the positive method be used for all scientific study, including the study of humanity. He argued that humanity should be studied through biology and sociology, a term he originated. Comte taught that progress should aim for sociocracy, a social state based on science and a new religion of humanity. Philosophers would govern this state according to the principles of positivism. See Comte, Auguste .
Logical positivism
was developed by the Vienna Circle under the leadership of the German physicist and philosopher Moritz Schlick. The group included the German philosopher Rudolf Carnap and several other leading philosophers and scientists. Its main doctrine was a controversial idea called the verifiability criterion of meaning. According to this doctrine, all statements that cannot be verified by sense perception–except for provable statements of mathematics or logic–are meaningless nonsense. The Vienna Circle aimed to eliminate such unverifiable statements and ideas from science and philosophy.
