Dictionary.com

positivism

[ poz-i-tuh-viz-uhm ]
/ ˈpɒz ɪ təˌvɪz əm /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for positivism on Thesaurus.com
noun
the state or quality of being positive; definiteness; assurance.
a philosophical system founded by Auguste Comte, concerned with positive facts and phenomena, and excluding speculation upon ultimate causes or origins.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of positivism

First recorded in 1850–55; positive + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM positivism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to positivism

confidence, inevitability, trust, anticipation, certainty, elation, enthusiasm, expectation, happiness, idealism, belief, certitude, cinch, conviction, credence, definiteness, dogmatism, faith, firmness, lock

How to use positivism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for positivism

positivism
/ (ˈpɒzɪtɪˌvɪzəm) /
noun
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 knowledgeSee also logical positivism
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 contentCompare natural law (def. 3)
the quality of being definite, certain, etc

Derived forms of positivism

positivist, noun, adjectivepositivistic, adjectivepositivistically, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for positivism

positivism

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.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
FEEDBACK