Auguste Comte-A General View of Positivism

Auguste Comte-A General View of Positivism
(Cambridge Library Collection - Religion)
Format PDF 15.3 MB
Pages 443

CHAPTER I.

INTELLECTUAL CHARACTER OF POSITIVISM.

The object of Philosophy is to present a systematic view of human life as

a basis for modifying its imperfections 8

The Theological Synthesis failed to include the practical side of human nature 9

But the Positive spirit originated in practical life 11

In Human nature, and therefore in the Positive system, Affection is the preponderating element 14

The proper function of Intellect is the service of the Social Sympathies 16

Under Theology the Intellect was the slave of the Heart; under Positivism, its servant 18

The subordination of the Intellect to the Heart is the subjective principle of Positivism 21

Objective basis of the system : Order of the external World, as revealed by Science 22

By it the selfish affections are controlled; the unselfish strengthened 24

Our conception of this External Order has been gradually growing from

the earliest times, and is but just complete 26

Even where not modifiable, its influence on the character is of the greatest value 28

But in most cases we can modify it; and in these the knowledge of it

forms the systematic basis of human action 31

The chief difficulty of the Positive Synthesis was to complete our conception

of the External Order by extending it to Social Phenomena 33

By the discovery of sociological laws social questions are made paramount;

and thus our subjective principle is satisfied without danger to free thought 37

Distinction between Abstract and Concrete laws. It is the former only

that we require for the purpose before us  40

In our Theory of Development the required Synthesis of Abstract conceptions already exists 43

Therefore we are in a position to proceed at once with the work of social regeneration 47

Error of identifying Positivism with Atheism, Materialism, Fatalism, or

Optimism. Atheism, like Theology, discusses insoluble mysteries 48

Materialism is due to the encroachment of the lower sciences on the

domain of the higher, an error which Positivism rectifies 52

Nor is Positivism fatalist, since it asserts the External Order to be modifiable 57

The charge of Optimism applies to Theology rather than to Positivism.

The Positivist judges of all historical actions relatively, but does not justify them indiscriminately 58

The word Positive connotes all the highest intellectual attributes, and

will ultimately have a moral significance 60

CHAPTER  II.

THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF POSITIVISM.

The relation of Positivism to the French Revolution 63

The negative or destructive phase of the Revolution stimulated the desire

of Progress, and consequently ,the study of social phenomena 63

The constructive phase of the Revolution. The first attempts to construct

failed, being based on destructive principles 69

Counter-revolution from 1794 to 1830 71

Political stagnation between 1830 and 1848 72

The present position, 1848-1850. Republicanism involves the great

principle of subordinating Politics to Morals 74

It gives prominence to the problem of reconciling Order and Progress  75

It brings the metaphysical revolutionary schools into discredit 78

And it proves to all the necessity of a true spiritual power; a body of

thinkers whose business is to study and to teach principles, holding all of from political action SI

The need of a spiritual power is common to the whole Republic of Western Europe 84

This Republic consists of the Italian, Spanish, British, and German

populations, grouped round France as their centre 88

Relation of Positivism to the medieval system, to which we owe the first

attempt to separate Spiritual from Temporal power 91

But the mediaeval attempt was premature; and Positivism will renew and complete it 95

The Ethical system of Positivism 97

Subjection of Self-love to Social love is the great ethical problem. The

Social state of itself favours this result; but it may be hastened by organized and conscious effort 98

Intermediate between Self-love and universal Benevolence are the domestic

affections : filial, fraternal, conjugal, paternal 100

Personal virtues placed upon a social basis 103

Moral education consists partly of scientific demonstration of ethical truth,

but still more of culture of the higher sympathies 105

Organization of Public Opinion 107

Commemoration of great men 108

The political motto of Positivism : Order and Progress 110

Progress, the development of Order 111

Analysis of Progress : material, physical, intellectual, and moral  112

Application of our principles to actual politics. All government must for

the present be provisional 116

Danger of attempting political reconstruction before spiritual 119

Politically, what is wanted is Dictatorship, with liberty of speech and discussion 122

Such a dictatorship would be a step towards the separation of spiritual

and temporal power 126

The motto of 1830; Liberty and Public Order 127

Liberty should be extended to Education 128

Order demands centralization 130

Intimate connection of Liberty with Order 132

CHAPTER III.

THE ACTION OF POSITIVISM UPON THE WORKING CLASSES.

Positivism will not for the present recommend  itself to the governing

classes, so much as to the People 134

The working man who accepts his position is favourably situated for the

reception of comprehensive principles and generous sympathies 136

This the Convention felt; but they encouraged the People to seek political

supremacy, for which they are not fit 140

It is only in exceptional cases that the People can be really 'sovereign' 141

The truth involved in the expression is that the well-being of the people

should be the one great object of government 142

The People's function is to assist the spiritual power in modifying the action of government 144

Their combined efforts result in the formation of Public Opinion 146

Public opinion involves, (1) principles of social conduct, (2) their acceptance

by society at large, (3) an organ through which to enunciate them 148

Working men's clubs 152

All three conditions of Public Opinion exist, but have not yet been combined 158

Spontaneous tendencies of the people in a right direction. Their Communism 159

Its new title of Socialism 162

Property is in its nature social, and needs control 163

But Positivism rejects the Communist solution of the problem. Property

is to be controlled by moral not legal agencies 166

Individualization of functions as necessary as co-operation 168

Industry requires its captains as well as War 169

Communism is deficient in the historical spirit 170

In fact, as a system, it is worthless, though prompted by noble feeling 171

Property is a public trust, not to be interfered with legally 173

Inheritance favourable to its right employment 175

Intellect needs moral control as much as wealth 175

Action of organized public opinion upon Capitalists. Strikes 177

Public Opinion must be based upon a sound system of Education 181

Education has two stages; from birth to puberty, from puberty to

adolescence. The first, consisting of physical and esthetic training, to be given at home I84

The second part consists of public lectures on the Sciences, from Mathematics to Sociology 187

Travels of Apprentices 189

Concentration of study  190

Governmental assistance not required, except for certain special institutions,

and this only as a provisional measure 192

We are not ripe for this system at present; and Government must not

attempt to hasten its introduction 194

Intellectual attitude of the people. Emancipation from theological belief 197

From metaphysical doctrines : 199

Their mistaken preference of literary and rhetorical talent to real intellectual power 200

Moral attitude of the people. The workman should regard himself as a public functionary 203

Ambition of power and wealth must be abandoned 206

The working classes are the best guarantee for Liberty and Order 209

It is from them that we shall obtain the dictatorial power which is provisionally required 212

CHAPTER IV.

THE INFLUENCE OF POSITIVISM UPON WOMEN.

Women represent the affective element in our nature, as philosophers and

people represent the intellectual and practical elements 218

Women have stood aloof from the modern movement, because of its antihistoric

and destructive character 220

But they will svmpathize with constructive tendencies; and will distinguish

sound philosophy from scientific specialities 222

Women's position in society. Like philosophers and people, their part is

not to govern, but to modify 224

The united action of philosophers, women, and proletaries constitutes Moral Force 229

Superiority of the new spiritual power to the old. Self-regaiding tendencies

of Catholic doctrine 233

The spirit of Positivism, on the contrary, is essentially social. The Heart

and the Intellect mutually strengthen each other 235

Intellectual and moral affinities of women with Positivism 239

Catholicism purified love, but did not directly strengthen it  241

Women's influence over the working classes and their teachers 243

Their social influence in the salon  246

But the Family is their principal sphere of action  248

Woman's mission as a wife. Conjugal love an education for universal sympathy 249

Conditions of marriage. Indissoluble monogamy  252

Perpetual widowhood  254

Woman's mission as a mother  257

Education of children belongs to mothers. They only can 'guide’ the development of character 257

Modern sophisms about Woman's rights. The "domesticity of 'her "life

follows from the principle of Separation of Powers " 260

The position of the sexes tends to differentiation rather than identity 263

Woman to be maintained by Man 264

The education of women should be identical with that of men 267

Women's privileges. Their mission is in itself a privilege  271

They will receive honour and worship from men  271

Development of mediaeval chivalry 272

The practice of Prayer, so far from disappearing, is purified and strengthened

in Positive religion 277

The worship of Woman a preparation for the worship of Humanity 280

Exceptional women. Joan of Arc 281

It is for women to introduce Positivism into the Southern nations 286

CHAPTER V

THE RELATION OF POSITIVISM TO ART

Positivism when complete is as favourable to Imagination, as, when

incomplete, it was unfavourable to it 291

Esthetic talent is for the adornment of life, not for its government 294

The political influence of literary men a deplorable sign and source of anarchy 296

Theory of Art 300

Art is the idealized representation of Fact 300

Poetry is intermediate between Philosophy and Polity 302

Art calls each element of our nature into harmonious action 305

Three stages in the esthetic process : Imitation, Idealization, Expression 306

Classification of the arts on the principle of decreasing generality, and increasing intensity 309

Poetry 310

Music 311

Painting. Sculpture. Architecture 312

The conditions favourable to Art have never yet been combined 313

Neither in Polytheism 313

Nor under the Mediaeval system 315

Much less in modern times 316

Under Positivism the conditions will all be favourable. There will be

fixed principles, and a nobler moral culture 317

Predisposing influence of Education 320

Relation of Art to Religion 322

Idealization of historical types 324

Art requires the highest education; but little special instruction 325

Artists as a class will disappear. Their function will be appropriated by

the philosophic priesthood 327

Identity of esthetic and scientific genius 329

Women's poetry 321

People's poetry 333

Value of Art in the present crisis 334

Construction of normal types on the basis furnished by philosophy 334

Pictures of the Future of Man 335

Contrasts with the Past , 336

CHAPTER VI.

CONCLUSION. THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY.

Recapitulation of the results obtained 340

Humanity is the centre to which every aspect of Positivism converges. 348

With the discovery of sociological laws, a synthesis on the basis of

Science becomes possible, science being now concentrated on the study of Humanity 351

Statical aspects of Humanity 353

Dynamical aspects 355

Inorganic and organic sciences elevated by their connection with the

supreme science of Humanity  357

The new religion is even more favourable to Art than to Science 359

Poetic portraiture of the new Supreme Being, and contrast with the old 360

Organization of festivals, representing statical and dynamical aspects of Humanity 363

Worship of the dead. Commemoration of their service 366

All the arts may co-operate in the service of religion 369

Positivism is the successor of Christianity, and surpasses it 370

Superiority of Positive morality 375

Eise of the new Spiritual power 378

Temporal power will always be necessary, but its action will be modified by the spiritual 380

Substitution of duties for rights 383

Consensus of the Social Organism 385

Continuity of the past with the present 386

Necessity of a spiritual power to study and teach these truths, and thus

to govern men by persuasion, instead of by compulsion 388

Nutritive functions of Humanity, performed by Capitalists, as the temporal power 393

These are modified by the cerebral functions, performed by the spiritual power 395

Women and priests to have their material subsistence guaranteed 399

Normal relation of priests, people, and capitalists 401

We are not yet ripe for the normal state. But the revolution of 1848 is a step towards it 402

First revolutionary motto ; Liberty and Equality 403

Second motto; Liberty and Order 404

Third motto; Order and Progress  405

Provisional policy for the period of transition 406

Popular dictatorship with freedom of speech 406

Positive Committee for Western Europe 409

Occidental navy 411

International coinage  412

Occidental school 412

Flag for the Western Republic  413

Colonial and foreign Associates of the Committee, the action "of which"will

ultimately extend to the whole human race 415

Conclusion. Perfection of the Positivist ideal  419

Corruption of Monotheism  424