Positivism

Pronunciation

IPA: /ËˆpÉ’zÉªtÉªvËŒÉªzm/

Origin

From French positivisme, from positif ("positive").

Full definition of positivism

Noun

positivism

(countable and uncountable; plural positivisms)

(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.
Practical spirit, sense of reality, concreteness.
(legal) 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 (humans).

Antonyms

(in philosophy) antipositivism

Derived terms