30 ideas
| 12104 | All ideas must be understood historically [Comte] |
| 12105 | Our knowledge starts in theology, passes through metaphysics, and ends in positivism [Comte] |
| 12112 | Metaphysics is just the oversubtle qualification of abstract names for phenomena [Comte] |
| 12106 | Positivism gives up absolute truth, and seeks phenomenal laws, by reason and observation [Comte] |
| 7491 | The phases of human thought are theological, then metaphysical, then positivist [Comte, by Watson] |
| 12111 | Positivism is the final state of human intelligence [Comte] |
| 12114 | Science can drown in detail, so we need broad scientists (to keep out the metaphysicians) [Comte] |
| 12116 | Only positivist philosophy can terminate modern social crises [Comte] |
| 12108 | All real knowledge rests on observed facts [Comte] |
| 12109 | We must observe in order to form theories, but connected observations need prior theories [Comte] |
| 12107 | Positivism explains facts by connecting particular phenomena with general facts [Comte] |
| 12115 | Introspection is pure illusion; we can obviously observe everything except ourselves [Comte] |
| 22858 | There is collective action, where a trend is manifest, but is not attributable to individuals [Lukes] |
| 20239 | Unlike us, the early Greeks thought envy was a good thing, and hope a bad thing [Hesiod, by Nietzsche] |
| 22850 | Hidden powers are the most effective [Lukes] |
| 22852 | The pluralist view says that power is restrained by group rivalry [Lukes] |
| 22854 | Power is a capacity, which may never need to be exercised [Lukes] |
| 22857 | The two-dimensional view of power recognises the importance of controlling the agenda [Lukes] |
| 22855 | One-dimensionsal power is behaviour in observable conflicts of interests [Lukes] |
| 22856 | Political organisation brings some conflicts to the fore, and suppresses others [Lukes] |
| 22860 | The evidence for the exertion of power need not involve a grievance of the powerless [Lukes] |
| 22861 | Power is affecting a person in a way contrary to their interests [Lukes] |
| 22863 | Power is the capacity of a social class to realise its interests [Lukes] |
| 21133 | Supreme power is getting people to have thoughts and desires chosen by you [Lukes] |
| 22859 | Power can be exercised to determine a person's desires [Lukes] |
| 22851 | In the 1950s they said ideology is finished, and expertise takes over [Lukes] |
| 22862 | Liberals take people as they are, and take their preferences to be their interests [Lukes] |
| 22853 | Anyone who thinks capitalism can improve their lives is endorsing capitalism [Lukes] |
| 12113 | The search for first or final causes is futile [Comte] |
| 12110 | We can never know origins, purposes or inner natures [Comte] |