positivism

[ poz-i-tuh-viz-uhm ]

noun

1. the state or quality of being positive; definiteness; assurance.
2. a philosophical system founded by Auguste Comte, concerned with positive facts and phenomena, and excluding speculation upon ultimate causes or origins.

positivism

/ ˈpɒzɪtɪˌvɪzəm /

noun

1. a strong form of empiricism, esp as established in the philosophical system of Auguste Comte, that rejects metaphysics and theology as seeking knowledge beyond the scope of experience, and holds that experimental investigation and observation are the only sources of substantial knowledge See also logical positivism
2. Also calledlegal positivism the jurisprudential doctrine that the legitimacy of a law depends on its being enacted in proper form, rather than on its content Compare natural law
3. the quality of being definite, certain, etc

positivism

1. An approach to philosophy frequently found in the twentieth century. Positivists usually hold that all meaningful statements must be either logical inferences or sense descriptions, and they usually argue that the statements found in metaphysics , such as “Human beings are free” or “Human beings are not free,” are meaningless because they cannot possibly be verified by the senses.

Derived Forms

• ˌpositivˈistically, adverb
• ˌpositivˈistic, adjective
• ˈpositivist, nounadjective

Other Words From

• posi·tiv·ist adjective noun
• posi·tiv·istic adjective
• posi·tiv·isti·cal·ly adverb
• nonpos·i·tiv·istic adjective
• unpos·i·tiv·istic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of positivism¹

First recorded in 1850–55; positive + -ism

Example Sentences

When your congregation zealously overestimates the epistemological functionality of empiricism in the work of logical positivism, you trap the conversation of science and consciousness in your lethally boring Vienna wagon-Circling.

From Salon

"I mean a connection with the spiritual dimension of existence, traditions which in the United States and Europe long ago gave way to positivism, the cult of material success and outright Satanism," said Naryshkin.

From Reuters

He looked skeptically upon the heroic positivism he encountered in his science and philosophy classes there but found solace in the books of Friedrich Nietzsche.

From New York Times

At a crucial moment in “Time of the Magicians,” Eilenberger explains that an entire school of philosophy known as logical positivism was born of this exact misunderstanding of Wittgenstein.

From New York Times

In that, he found positivism essential and said, “What do these kids have to look forward to if we don’t have this outlook?”

From Washington Post

Related Words

• anticipation
• certainty
• confidence
• elation
• enthusiasm
• expectation
• happiness
• idealism
• trust