6 characteristics of scientific POSITIVISM

The characteristics of scientific positivism are the use of empiricism, the scientific method, verificationism, reductionism, axiological neutrality... In unProfesor we tell you in this summary.

He scientific positivism was a philosophical current developed in the 19th century by the French philosopher Auguste Comte. A philosophical movement that had great relevance at the time and whose influence is still notable in the way in which we understand and practice science today. The emphasis that the positivists placed on observation, experimentation and empirical verification as bases of scientific knowledge is one of his greatest contributions to universal thought.

In this lesson of unPROFESOR.com we tell you What are the main characteristics of scientific positivism? and a summary of who were the great figures of this philosophical current.

Between the main characteristics of scientific positivism stand out:

1. Empiricism

Scientific positivism considers that the really valid knowledge is that which is deduced from sensible experience, that is, from empirical experience. Thus, the positivists came to the conclusion that only observable and measurable facts were the basis of scientific knowledge, rejecting any form of knowledge based on speculation or metaphysics.

2. Scientific method

The use of scientific method It is another of the characteristics of scientific positivism. This current underlines the importance of the scientific method to acquire knowledge. The scientific method involves observation, measurement, hypothesis formulation and experimentation as the only reliable way to obtain objective and verifiable knowledge.

3. verificationism

Scientific positivism also defends the verification principle, according to which a statement can only be considered scientific if it can be verified by experience and evidence empirical. Statements that cannot be verified or refuted through observation and experience are considered to be meaningless and are considered pseudoscientific or metaphysical.

4. reductionism

Reductionism is another characteristic of scientific positivism. Scientific positivists tend to take a reductionist approach, that is, they seek explanations of complex phenomena through reduction to simpler parts. Thus, positivist philosophers consider that science should focus on the study of individual parts or simpler and point out what their causal relationship is, instead of addressing holistic explanations or metaphysical.

5. Axiological neutrality

For positivism, science must be neutral in terms of values ​​and value judgments. Scientists should strive to maintain impartial objectivity in their research and avoid being influenced by personal beliefs or bias.

6. Prediction and control

Scientific positivism seeks the prediction and control of natural and social phenomena. Scientific knowledge is considered valuable to the extent that it makes it possible to predict and control future events, which brings a pragmatic approach to science.

Now that we know what the characteristics of scientific positivism are, we are going to meet the most prominent philosophers. The philosophical current of scientific positivism had a series of most characteristic representatives throughout its development.

1. Auguste Comte (1798-1857)

Auguste Comte is considered the founder of positivism. and scientific sociology. It was he who coined the term "positivism" and developed a large part of the fundamental principles and concepts of this philosophical current.

In his works, Comte stressed the importance of observation and experience in arriving at a scientific knowledge, in addition to proposing a systematic approach based on the "law of the three stadiums". A law that describes the evolution of human thought from the theological stage to the metaphysical stage and, finally, to the positive or scientific stage. Among his works we highlight the "Discourse on the positive spirit" (1844).

2. Ernst Mach (1838-1916)

Mach, an Austrian philosopher and physicist, focused on removing metaphysics and speculative philosophy from science, advocating radical empiricism. Thus, Mach stressed the importance of experience and observation in the formulation of scientific theories.

3. Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)

This English sociologist and philosopher applied the principles of positivism to fields such as sociology and biology, proposing the idea that society and life itself are governed by evolutionary laws similar to those of the nature. His most outstanding work is "Principles of Sociology", a work in which he presents society as an organism in constant evolution.

4. Rudolph Carnap (1891-1970)

Carnap, German philosopher and logician, was the leading theoretician of logical positivism, a philosophical current which arose at the beginning of the 20th century and which was based in large part on the principles of positivism scientist. Carnap defended empiricism and verifiability as criteria to establish whether a statement was valid from a scientific point of view. In addition, he was one of the main exponents of the Vienna Circle, a group of philosophers and scientists adhered to logical positivism.