Positivism of St. Simon and Auguste Comte

Introduction

• Module on positivism by Saint Simon and Auguste Comte under classical sociological theory.
• Influence of the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Industrial Revolution on philosophical thoughts and society.
• Positivism as an epistemological tool associated with science and rationality, emphasizing deductive logic.

Understanding Positivism

• Positivism: Philosophical views favoring science and scientific methods.
• Claims:
  • Identifiable, unitary scientific method.
  • Positivism as a major philosophical movement in Western countries (late 19th to early 20th century).
• Goal: Make philosophy scientific and eliminate metaphysical components.

Key Figures and Contributions

• Francis Bacon, John Locke, Berkeley, David Hume: Early proponents.
• Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill: Advocates in the 19th century.
• Influence of the Industrial Revolution: Promoted science as a source of genuine knowledge.
• Claude Henri de Saint-Simon: Introduced terms “positivism” and “positive philosophy.”
• Auguste Comte: Popularized positivism; societies progress from theological, metaphysical, to scientific stages.

Saint-Simon’s Contributions

• Proposed reorganizing society with industry leaders and scientists in roles of authority.
• Advocated for societal reforms in social, political, educational, and religious arenas.
• Influenced sociology and economics.
• Vision of “New Christianity”—a society focused on improving conditions for the poor.
• Rejected traditional Christian doctrines in favor of moral codes.

Auguste Comte’s Contributions

• Father of Sociology; developed positivism.
• Belief in scientific study of human society through observation, experimentation, comparison, and historical method.
• Three Stages of Human Development:
  • Theological Stage: Primitive society, theocentric.
  • Metaphysical Stage: Justification of universal rights, influenced by pre-Revolution French society.
  • Scientific or Positive Stage: Solutions to social problems using scientific thought.
• Comte’s vision of an ideal society with sociology and scientific priests ruling based on reason.
• Coined “altruism”—individuals serve others out of moral obligation.

Conclusion

• Emergence of positivism in Europe in the 19th century.
• Sociology as a discipline akin to social physics per Comte.
• Positivism further developed by Emile Durkheim, focusing on social facts as empirical categories to understand society.
• Social facts as external structures influencing individuals’ behaviors and norms.