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 Theology, discusses insoluble mysteries--Materialism is due to the encroachment of the lower sciences on the domain of the higher, an error which Positivism rectifies--Nor is Positivism fatalist, since it asserts the External Order to be modifiable--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--The word _Positive_ connotes all the highest intellectual attributes, and will ultimately have a moral significance.