Post-Positivism

Introduction

Post-positivism is a philosophical perspective that emerged in the second half of the 20th century.
It revises the positivist view that reality can be objectively observed and fully understood.
Critiques: Positivism was criticized for being out of line with lived experiences, scientific discoveries, and findings in physics.
Post-positivism modifies rather than rejects positivism, moving towards a critical realism.

Naive Realism vs. Critical Realism
- Positivism: Belief in fully apprehending reality.
- Post-Positivism: Acknowledges reality but seeks partial, probabilistic understanding.
Objective Knowledge
- Positivism: Full understanding through observation and experimentation.
- Post-Positivism: Knowledge is probable and can be falsified through future investigations.

Karl Popper
- Criticized logical positivism of the Vienna Circle and Wittgenstein.
- Introduced the concept of falsification.
- Science as a deductive process.
- A hypothesis is provisionally true if it withstands attempts to falsify it.
Thomas Kuhn
- Author of "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions."
- Argued that scientific knowledge evolves through paradigm shifts.
- Scientific development is influenced by historical and sociological factors.

Werner Heisenberg
- Introduced the uncertainty principle in quantum theory.
- It's impossible to know both momentum and position of a particle simultaneously.
- Observation affects the particle, challenging positivist epistemology.
Niels Bohr
- Challenged positivist ontology.
- Suggested subatomic particles are different, and reality may not be objectively known.

Post-positivism is increasingly relevant as it aligns with complex and chaotic findings in modern science.
It serves as an alternative framework for scientific inquiry, accommodating the unpredictability and influence of human factors.

Note: For a more comprehensive understanding, it is beneficial to explore the associated video on positivism.