Positivism

Quick meaning: Positivism is a noun meaning (law) A school of thought in jurisprudence in which the law is seen as separated from moral values; i.e., the law is posited by lawmakers (people).

Meaning

(law) A school of thought in jurisprudence in which the law is seen as separated from moral values; i.e., the law is posited by lawmakers (people).

More Meanings

1. (philosophy) A doctrine that states that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such knowledge can only come from positive affirmation of theories through strict scientific method, refusing every form of metaphysics.

Example Sentences

History, and its literary expression, narrative, were not scientific, and so did not deserve the attention that true sciences did. Only science could yield positive knowledge—hence the passion for positivism, and the origin of the term.

The goal of positivism is to construct an objective, empirical and systematic foundation for knowledge. Given the above five tenets, it follows that positivists would hold that the world is composed of ‘facts’, or ‘sense data’ (or ‘atoms’).

Word Forms

• positivisms

Synonyms for positivism

Depending on context, synonyms include positivity.

Antonyms for positivism

Common opposites include antipositivism, negativism, negativity.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include positivity, empiricism, scientism, verificationism, experimentalism, naturalism.

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