A General View of Positivism: Or, Summary exposition of the System of Thought and LifeComte, Auguste
Philosophy
A General View of Positivism: Or, Summary exposition of the System of Thought and Life
Comte, Auguste
Positivism
Recapitulation of the results obtained--Humanity is the centre
to which every aspect of Positivism converges--With the
discovery of sociological laws, a synthesis on the basis of
Science becomes possible, science being now concentrated on
the study of Humanity--Statical aspects of Humanity--Dynamical
aspects--Inorganic and organic sciences elevated by their connexion
with the supreme science of Humanity--The new religion is even
more favourable to Art than to Science--Poetic portraiture of
the new Supreme Being, and contrast with the old--Organization
of festivals, representing statical and dynamical aspects of
Humanity--Worship of the dead. Commemoration of their service--All
the arts may co-operate in the service of religion--Positivism
the successor of Christianity, and surpasses it--Superiority of
Positive morality--Rise of the new Spiritual power--Temporal power
will always be necessary, but its action will be modified by the
spiritual--Substitution of duties for rights--Consensus of the
Social Organism--Continuity of the past with the present--Necessity
of a spiritual power to study and teach these truths, and thus
to govern men by persuasion, instead of by compulsion--Nutritive
functions of Humanity, performed by Capitalists, as the temporal
power--These are modified by the cerebral functions, performed
by the spiritual power--Women and priests to have their material
subsistence guaranteed--Normal relation of priests, people, and
capitalists--We are not yet ripe for the normal state. But the
revolution of 1848 is a step towards it--First revolutionary motto;
Liberty and Equality--Second motto; Liberty and Order--Third
motto; Order and Progress--Provisional policy for the period of
transition--Popular dictatorship with freedom of speech--Positive
Committee for Western Europe--Occidental navy--International
coinage--Occidental school--Flag for the Western Republic--Colonial
and foreign Associates of the Committee, the action of which will
ultimately extend to the whole human race--Conclusion. Perfection
of the Positivist ideal--Corruption of Monotheism.
A GENERAL VIEW OF POSITIVISM
‘We tire of thinking and even of acting; we never tire of loving.’
In the following series of systematic essays upon Positivism the
essential principles of the doctrine are first considered; I then
point out the agencies by which its propagation will be effected; and
I conclude by describing certain additional features indispensable to
its completeness. My treatment of these questions will of course be
summary; yet it will suffice, I hope, to overcome several excusable but
unfounded prejudices. It will enable any competent reader to assure
himself that the new general doctrine aims at something more than
satisfying the Intellect; that it is in reality quite as favourable to
Feeling and even to Imagination.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
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