The work consists of six chapters, treating Positivism respectively in its intellectual aspect, its social aspect, its influence on the working classes, on women, on art, and on religion. In other words it illustrates the application of the system to Philosophy, Politics, Industry, The Family, Poetry and The Future. It opens with a comparison of Positivist doctrines with those of the leading extant philosophies. It closes with a picture of society should those doctrines be realized. It is thus both a criticism of current theories, and an utopia of a possible Future. Of the intermediate chapters, the first deals with the principal changes proposed in our actual political system: the next chapter deals with the changes proposed in our present social system. Then come the last two chapters, dealing with the principal agents, Art, Poetry and Religion, by which those changes may be promoted. The book is therefore a practical introduction to the subject as a whole; for it sets forth the _aim_ of Positivism as a system, and then how it seeks to effect that aim. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I INTELLECTUAL CHARACTER OF POSITIVISM 8 The object of Philosophy is to present a systematic view of human life as a basis for modifying its imperfections--The Theological Synthesis failed to include the practical side of human nature--But the Positive spirit originated in practical life--In human nature, and therefore in the Positive system, Affection is the preponderating element--The proper function of Intellect is the service of the Social Sympathies--Under Theology the Intellect was the slave of the Heart; under Positivism, its servant--The subordination of the Intellect to the Heart is the subjective principle of Positivism--Objective basis of the system: Order of the external World, as revealed by Science--By it the selfish affections are controlled; the unselfish strengthened--Our conception of this External Order has been gradually growing from the earliest times, and is but just complete--Even where not modifiable, its influence on the character is of the greatest value--But in most cases we can modify it; and in these the knowledge of it forms the systematic basis of human action--The chief difficulty of the Positive Synthesis was to complete our conception of the External Order by extending it to Social Phenomena--By the discovery of sociological laws social questions are made paramount; and thus our _subjective principle_ is satisfied without danger to free thought--Distinction between Abstract and Concrete laws. It is the former only that we require for the purpose before us--In our Theory of Development the required Synthesis of Abstract conceptions already exists--Therefore we are in a position to proceed at once with the work of social regeneration--Error of identifying Positivism with Atheism, Materialism, Fatalism, or Optimism. Atheism, like