Positivism: what is the concept and role of theory in society?

There is a philosophical current called positivism, which emerged around the 19th century (19), and played a very important role in the construction and transformation of society as we know it today.

And today we are going to learn more about what this school of thought is and how it works.

What is positivism?

The philosophical current of positivism is a line of thought that emerged around the 19th century in France. Its ideology mainly defends that the only true knowledge is scientific.

This chain was created by Auguste Comte, a French philosopher considered by many to be the first philosopher of science.

Therefore, superstitions or religions are not taken into consideration, only what is scientific.

Who was Auguste Comte?

Auguste Comte was born in 1798 and died in 1857, he was a French philosopher, sociologist and thinker.

He was responsible for developing and creating positivism, which directly influenced sociology, and is often considered one of the founders of this area of knowledge.

Comte was the creator of the doctrine of positivism, proposing the “Law of three states”, which suggests that the levels of human development go through three stages.

Main characteristics of positivism

Positivism has some characteristics that are crucial to identifying this philosophical doctrine.

Starting with its main concept that the ethical and scientific advancement of society would be made through social order and evolution in the area of science.

In this line of thought, mathematics, sociology, chemistry, biology, physics and astronomy are the main scientific models, and are highlighted for their cumulative and transcultural values.

This idea of cumulative and transcultural science It is defended by the idea that regardless of the culture where the philosophical current was born, what matters most in this case is that it reaches all of humanity. 

According to the creator himself, positivism came from one of the branches of enlightenment, who defended the idea that knowledge should always be stimulated to lead to social autonomy.

Comte left in his doctrine the centralization of seven terms and their meanings, they are:

• Real;
• Useful;
• Right;
• Necessary;
• Relative;
• Organic;
• Kind.

Still talking about the characteristics of positivism, philosophy sought to explain all social relations in a more practical and rational way.

Furthermore, he defends the idea that the world is an ordered system that can be understood by reason or empirical observation.

Another important point is objectivity, which seeks to prevent personal prejudices and emotions from influencing the interpretation of facts.

Tendency to reject metaphysical speculations and theories that cannot be verified empirically. The emphasis is on concrete, observable aspects of reality.

In other words, there is a rejection of more intuitive and introspective knowledge that cannot be proven by science, since it will be used to understand problems and guide certain actions.

Three-State Act

Positivism is based on the law of three states, a theory proposed by Auguste Comte and which is part of his positivist approach.

According to this theory, the development of human thought and society goes through three different stages and each of them occurred at a certain period of time. history until we reach the present day.

Comte's “Law of Three States” provides a basis for understanding how humanity moved from religious and abstract explanations to a more scientific and empirical approach to understanding the world.

Theological state

In this first stage, which can also be called a religious or fictional state, humanity uses supernatural causes, gods and deities to explain natural and social phenomena.

In the theological state the world is understood by divine forces, gods, supernatural beings and other mythological beings.

Metaphysical State

This state brings the idea of speculative wisdom, so it can also be called the abstract stage.

When it reaches this state, explanations are based on invisible forces, entities and essences, all abstract concepts.

They are no longer focused on religion, but rather on forces of nature, occult entities, spirits and the like.

Positive state

Finally, in the positive or scientific state, all explanations of phenomena, actions and behaviors will be explained based on scientific principles and natural laws.

At this stage, humanity focuses on empirical observations, objective analysis, and scientific methods to understand and control the world around them.

Some philosophers and even scientists criticize the law of three states for being too simplistic to explain the history of human society.

Role of positivism in society

And we cannot fail to mention that positivism is extremely important in our current society, it has brought several benefits and significant impacts that we can still see today.

Positivism promoted the application of the scientific method in investigations, which boosted the advancement of knowledge.

By emphasizing empirical observation and objective analysis, positivism contributed to the development of science and research in diverse fields.

Furthermore, he also established the sociology as a science, playing a crucial role in its development.

Auguste Comte, who is often considered the founder of sociology, brought positivist thoughts so that we could study society as an observable system.

This doctrine also had strong impacts on political sphere, he shaped the conception and implementation of public policies based on real facts.

These policies are based on scientific research with the aim of identifying problems and providing more effective solutions.

Furthermore, positivism played a fundamental role in structuring of social institutions, such as educational institutions. Through these institutions, the population is educated and trained, thus contributing to social advancement.

Positivist thought had influences on cultural environment also, where it marked the development of literature, music and art.

For followers of the doctrine, it was believed that art and culture should be based on observation and experimentation.

In general, positivism played an important role in the modernization of society, helping to promote scientific, social and cultural progress.

As we can see, this school of thought was and still is very important for society, having significant impacts even today.