Positivism originated in Europe as a philosophy that believes true knowledge is only about observable facts that can be empirically verified through the senses. It is associated with the scientific method. Auguste Comte was a key proponent of positivism and proposed humanity progresses through theological, metaphysical, and positivist stages of understanding natural phenomena. In the positivist stage, phenomena are explained factually rather than through theological or metaphysical causes. Social sciences differ from natural sciences by studying complex human behaviors and societies as well as cultural contexts. They emphasize social structures, culture, and the decisions and interactions of individuals.
2. PositivismPositivism
a philosophy developed ina philosophy developed in
EuropeEurope
An epistemological doctrine thatAn epistemological doctrine that
the true knowledge is only aboutthe true knowledge is only about
the fact. The fact or the factualthe fact. The fact or the factual
is an object that can beis an object that can be
observed empirically with ourobserved empirically with our
senses. The term ‘positive’senses. The term ‘positive’
doesn’t mean normatively, butdoesn’t mean normatively, but
descriptively. It means ‘thedescriptively. It means ‘the
factual’.factual’.
3. comes from the Frenchcomes from the French
word "positivisme", whichword "positivisme", which
is derived from the rootis derived from the root
word positif, and denotesword positif, and denotes
that something isthat something is
arbitrarily imposed on thearbitrarily imposed on the
mind by sensorymind by sensory
experience.experience.
it came to be associatedit came to be associated
with the scientific methodwith the scientific method
4. August ComteAugust Comte
the proponent ofthe proponent of
positivism.positivism.
he suggested thathe suggested that
theology andtheology and
methaphysics aremethaphysics are
flawedflawed
According to ComteAccording to Comte
the history of mankindthe history of mankind
develops in threedevelops in three
stages:stages:
1. Theological Stage1. Theological Stage
2. Metaphysical Stage2. Metaphysical Stage
3. Positivist Stage3. Positivist Stage
5. Theological StageTheological Stage
Man searched the causes of naturalMan searched the causes of natural
phenomena behind the empirical worldphenomena behind the empirical world
and found the superhuman forces likeand found the superhuman forces like
idols (fetishism), gods (polytheism)idols (fetishism), gods (polytheism)
and God (monotheism).and God (monotheism).
There was a progress of knowledgeThere was a progress of knowledge
from the knowledge of impersonalfrom the knowledge of impersonal
forces to personal God.forces to personal God.
The social organization wasThe social organization was
absolutismabsolutism
But this stage can be compared withBut this stage can be compared with
the infantile stage of human person.the infantile stage of human person.
6. Metaphysical StageMetaphysical Stage
In this stage the natural forces wereIn this stage the natural forces were
not imagined as superhuman forces.not imagined as superhuman forces.
They were grasped with abstractThey were grasped with abstract
concepts like ‘cause’, ‘ether’ , ‘being’,concepts like ‘cause’, ‘ether’ , ‘being’,
‘substance’ etc. There was no more‘substance’ etc. There was no more
God in this stage, because God wasGod in this stage, because God was
conceptualized as an abstract entity.conceptualized as an abstract entity.
The social organization was lawsThe social organization was laws
oriented societyoriented society
This stage is comparable with theThis stage is comparable with the
stage of adolescence of humanstage of adolescence of human
person.person.
7. Positivist StagePositivist Stage
Man explains the natural phenomenaMan explains the natural phenomena
factually, i.e. he doesn’t try to explainfactually, i.e. he doesn’t try to explain
them through theological orthem through theological or
metaphysical causes. So, the fall of anmetaphysical causes. So, the fall of an
apple is not cause by God or by theapple is not cause by God or by the
‘primal cause’, but by ‘gravitation’. We‘primal cause’, but by ‘gravitation’. We
can observe neither God nor primalcan observe neither God nor primal
cause. They are not facts. Only fact iscause. They are not facts. Only fact is
observable.observable.
The social organization is industrialThe social organization is industrial
societysociety
In this stage the mankind reach theIn this stage the mankind reach the
stage of maturity of his knowledge.stage of maturity of his knowledge.
8. The Science and theThe Science and the
Social Behind theSocial Behind the
Study of SocietyStudy of Society
9. Science is often attributed asScience is often attributed as
natural or physical science. Asnatural or physical science. As
its name implies, this science isits name implies, this science is
concerned with the study ofconcerned with the study of
nature—the physical andnature—the physical and
natural behaviours andnatural behaviours and
phenomena without the social,phenomena without the social,
cultural, or human context.cultural, or human context.
ScienceScience
10. social sciences revolve around thesocial sciences revolve around the
behaviour of humans as a peoplebehaviour of humans as a people
or human societies, its production,or human societies, its production,
and operations. This type ofand operations. This type of
science is also very concerned withscience is also very concerned with
cultural and human contexts andcultural and human contexts and
tries to explain how the worldtries to explain how the world
works. Its main aim is to study theworks. Its main aim is to study the
complex and changing phenomenacomplex and changing phenomena
that occur in human and social lifethat occur in human and social life
and their interactions with oneand their interactions with one
another.another.
Social SciencesSocial Sciences
11. FundamentalFundamental
ConceptsConcepts
What does Social Science emphasize?What does Social Science emphasize?
IndividualIndividual Social actors, and active, mindful, and consciousSocial actors, and active, mindful, and conscious
decision makersdecision makers
NatureNature
Environment, social structures that provide theEnvironment, social structures that provide the
physical, biological, and social context of collectivephysical, biological, and social context of collective
actions or social phenomenaactions or social phenomena
CultureCulture shared and collective actions, ideas and values thatshared and collective actions, ideas and values that
are exhibited by a particular group of peopleare exhibited by a particular group of people
SocialSocial
StructureStructure
patterns of behavior and interaction, which havepatterns of behavior and interaction, which have
been institutionalized over timebeen institutionalized over time
ActionAction decisions, activities and interactions made bydecisions, activities and interactions made by
human beingshuman beings
12. Social Science Discipline and TheirSocial Science Discipline and Their
EtymologiesEtymologies
Anthropology- "anthropos"(human),Anthropology- "anthropos"(human),
"logos"(study of)"logos"(study of)
Demography- "demos"(people),Demography- "demos"(people),
"graphien"(description)"graphien"(description)
Economics- "economy"(householdEconomics- "economy"(household
management)management)
Linguistics- "Lingua" (tongue,Linguistics- "Lingua" (tongue,
language)language)
13. History- "histoire"(recorded andHistory- "histoire"(recorded and
documented events)documented events)
Political Science-"politika", "polis"(affairPolitical Science-"politika", "polis"(affair
of the cities)of the cities)
Psychology-"psyche"(mind),Psychology-"psyche"(mind),
"logos"(study of)"logos"(study of)
Sociology-"socius"(people together,Sociology-"socius"(people together,
associate), "logos"(study of)associate), "logos"(study of)
