Mudabicara.com_ Every student must have studied philosophy, usually they only study philosophy in the introduction. However, not a few of them are confused about the benefits of studying philosophy and what its goals are.
Sometimes studying philosophy can be confusing. In addition to the many figures of philosophy, philosophy also has a fast development and there are many schools in it. Now! Now Mudabicara wants to discuss more deeply about the philosophy of positivism.
What is positivism, who is the character, how is it developed, what are the main points of thought, what are the advantages and disadvantages? For more, see our review below:
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What is Positivism?
Positivism is a philosophical school founded by two French thinkers, Henry Saint Simon and one of his students , Auguste Comte . However, the idea of positivism has actually been developed for a long time by an English philosopher, Francis Bacon.
The emergence of the flow of positivism is nothing but a form of balance between the flow of empiricism and the flow of rationalism. The flow of positivism views that truth can be obtained by humans through logical, empirical and measurable evidence. Positivism emphasizes factual aspects of knowledge, especially scientific knowledge.
In contrast to the flow of empiricism and rationalism. The flow of empiricism that views human science must go through the five senses or relate to experience. Empiricism focuses knowledge on the five senses.
The flow of rationalism views human science as derived from teachings based on ratios and reasonable ideas.
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According to Anthony Flew (1984) the flow of positivism is a philosophy that was born in the XVIII century by regulating the flow of tradition. In principle, the Galilean paradigm has become the basis for Auguste Comte to analyze human social life and society.
Auguste Comte put his thoughts in a work entitled Course of Positive Philosophy . In his writings Comte states that there are three stages of the theory of social change in society.
The first is the theological stage, which means people still believe in supernatural powers. The second stage is metaphysical which means that humans no longer believe in supernatural things but begin to believe in abstract forces that are inherent in all things and become the cause of all things.
Finally, the stage of positivism, which means that humans have the power and effort in the form of science and technology to understand all forms of natural and social phenomena.
This method of positivism for Comte can provide an explanation of human social life. For him, all events in human life are actualization processes that can be analyzed through the law of cause and effect.
Comte argues that every human action cannot be interpreted only from its intentions and goals because it has no basis and is not scientific.
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Characteristics of Positivism
There are several characteristics to make it easier to understand the flow of positivism. Besides being able to simplify the characteristics of the flow of positivism, this will help you understand quickly and precisely. For more details, see the following reviews of the characteristics of the flow of positivism:
Distinguishing the Study of Natural Sciences and Social Sciences
The flow of positivism views the natural sciences and social sciences as having different ways and methods to reach the truth. However, even though it is underlined that the natural sciences and social sciences both conduct observations and research to reach the truth.
Combining Empiricism and Rationalism
The flow of positivism tries to bridge the gap between empiricism and rationalism. In the flow of positivism the five senses and rationalism become a tool to obtain the truth.
Using Logic in Basic Thinking
In general, the flow of positivism will use logic as the main medium to determine the truth of a phenomenon. The Five Senses are only a medium for analyzing the initial stages.
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Using the Scientific Method
The school of Empiricism puts the scientific method in every research. The method used is conventional so that people are not arbitrary in determining a truth.
This scientific method is useful for collecting data, observing until determining the final result. The results of right and wrong can be accounted for both in terms of data and methods.
Disbelief in Myths and Supernatural Powers
Auguste Comte’s theory of social change is the main basis for the flow of positivism. All forms of phenomena, both social and natural, must be scientifically proven.
Rejecting Unscientific Truths
In the period before positivism, people did believe in something abstract and supernatural. Pre-positivism society still believes in supernatural powers such as gods.
The flow of positivism rejects all that by making methods and experiments by adopting natural science studies.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Positivism
Advantages of Positivism
The flow of positivism with the main character Auguste Comte was able to bring significant progress in the field of technology. The rationale of positivism is scientific and rational even at the level of epistemology and ontology.
On the other hand, Comte’s positivism spirit was able to build an active, creative and optimistic spirit in searching for data. Positivism emphasizes observation in finding facts and even in seeing the future.
In this flow, humans are forced to explain data-based reality so that the truth can be accounted for. This means that humans have accuracy in seeing life.
Disadvantages of Positivism
The flow of positivism as a whole eliminates abstract things. Religious and human values become unimportant
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Although in the end this positivism thought was criticized by Comte himself in his second work entitled System of Positive Politics . In his writings Comte mentions the importance of a religion or theology in positive times. he called it the “religion of humanity”.
Auguste Comte seemed to have had a turning point in his mind. Initially a rational and scientific positivist became a religious and humanist.
The reason why Auguste Comte changed drastically was that he fell in love with a woman he loved, named Clothilde de Vaux. After Auguste Comte fell in love, he seemed to experience an absolute slap when he could not explain the feeling of love scientifically.
Positivism forgets that humans are made up of biological and physical factors. Feelings of pleasure, happiness and sadness obviously cannot be explained empirically and rationally. Despite the scientific method people find it difficult to explain why they fell in love with A and not B.
Apart from its advantages and disadvantages, the flow of positivism is able to bring the methods and structures of human thinking into a rational and scientific one. As a result, we can feel the progress of science and technology to this day.
In other words, positivism is able to build human civilization as it is today and will certainly continue to be the foundations of modern thought.