Description
Book SynopsisThis book is a radical reappraisal of positivism as a major movement in philosophy, science and culture. In examining positivist movement and its contemporary impact, the author had six goals. First, to provide a more precise and systematic definition of the notion of positivism. Second, to describe positivism as a trend of thought concerned not only with the theory of knowledge and philosophy of science, but also with problems of ethics, social, and political philosophy. Third, to examine the development of positivism as a movement: it was born in the 18th century during the Enlightenment, took the form of social positivism in the 19th century, was transformed at the turn of the 20th century with the emergence of empirio-criticism, and became logical positivism (or logical empiricism) in the 20th century. Fourth, to reveal the external and internal factors of this evolution. Fifth, to disclose the relation of positivism to other trends of philosophy. Sixth, to determine the influence the positive mind had upon other cultural phenomena, such as the natural and social sciences, law, politics, arts, religion, and everyday life.
Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Introduction: The Notion of Positivism Part I: Development CHAPTER 1. Early Positivism The Divorce between Philosophy and Science Hume's Positivism Hume and Newton Impressions, Ideas, and Metaphysics Two Kinds of Knowledge Critical Analysis of Causality Certainty and Probability "Is" and "Ought" Moral Principles and Social Progress The Idea of Progress in the French Enlightenment CHAPTER 2. Classical or Social Positivism France after the Revolution Auguste Comte Plan of Positive Labors The Theological, Metaphysical, and Positive Mind The Hierarchy of Sciences Social Order and Social Progress Positive Polity and Positive Morality John Stuart Mill Mill and Comte: Allies and Opponents Logic and Methodology of Science Social and Natural Sciences Utility and Liberty The Positivist Movement in the 19th Century CHAPTER 3. From Classical to Modern Positivism Reappraisal of Positivism at the End of the 19th Century Mach's Empiriocriticism Poincare's Conventionalism Duhem's Hypothetism CHAPTER 4. Modern or Logical Positivism Revolution in Science and Philosophy The Vienna Circle and the Unity of Science Movement Moritz Schlick Philosophy as the Pursuit of Meaning Positivism and Realism Foundation of Knowledge Philosophy of Life and Ethics Rudolf Carnap Philosophy as Logical Analysis Formal and Empirical Sciences The Criterion of Empirical Significance The Structure of Scientific Knowledge The Probabilistic Appraisal of Hypotheses Scientific Humanism and Socialism Part II: Impact CHAPTER 5. Positivism: Its Critics and Rivals Positivism and Two of Its Adversaries: Nietzsche and Heidegger Positivism, Marxism, and Critical Theory Positivism and Pragmatism Positivism and Critical Rationalism Positivism and the Analytic Tradition Positivism, Kuhn, and Postmodernism CHAPTER 6. The Impact of the Positive Mind Outside Philosophy Positivism's Impact on the Natural and Social Sciences Positivism, Mathematics, and Physics Positivism's Effect on Psychology A Positive Economics Positivism's Influence on Sociology Positivism's Impact on Political Science Positivism-the Postpositivism Debate. Constructivism The Positive Mind and Law Positivism and Politics Positivism's Impact upon Literature, the Visual Arts, and Architecture The Positive Mind in Everyday Life. Positivism and Religion Bibliography Index
