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1. Philosophy / G. Scientific Philosophy / 2. Positivism

[belief in science as the only route to truth]

8 ideas
Positivism gives up absolute truth, and seeks phenomenal laws, by reason and observation [Comte]
Positivism is the final state of human intelligence [Comte]
The phases of human thought are theological, then metaphysical, then positivist [Comte, by Watson]
Laws of nature are just records of regularities and correlations, with concepts to make recording them easier [Mach, by Harré]
Positivism says science only refers to immediate experiences [Harré/Madden]
Positivists hold that theoretical terms change, but observation terms don't [Newton-Smith]
Critics attack positivist division between theory and observation [Newton-Smith]
If all that exists is what is being measured, what about the people and instruments doing the measuring? [Lowe]