positivism

American  

[poz-i-tuh-viz-uhm] / ˈpɒz ɪ təˌvɪz əm /

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.

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positivism British  

/ 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 called: legal 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

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positivism Cultural  

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.

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Other Word Forms

• nonpositivistic
  adjective
• positivist
  noun
• positivist
  adjective
• positivistic
  adjective
• positivistically
  adverb
• unpositivistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of positivism

First recorded in 1850–55; positive + -ism

Example Sentences

“Our positivism, our optimism, our hope in a better future is second to none. I think that’s what you’re seeing in those numbers, even as our community feels totally attacked.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

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 • Apr. 1, 2024

Comte believed that humanity would struggle to transition to positivism, as religions provided comforting and meaningful structure and rituals.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

But there are other, more interesting questions to ask: what is Miss World’s place now, in the era of body positivism and fourth-wave feminism?

From The Guardian • Dec. 8, 2019

Here, however, under the predominance of positivism, there prevails, on the whole, the tendency to regard religion, in its essence, anthropologically or medically and pathologically in connection with bodily conditions.

From International Congress of Arts and Science, Volume I Philosophy and Metaphysics by Various

Related Words

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