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Positivism vs Idealism - What's the difference?

positivism | idealism |

In philosophy terms the difference between positivism and idealism

is that positivism is a doctrine that states that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such knowledge can only come from positive affirmation of theories through strict scientific method, refusing every form of metaphysics while idealism is an approach to philosophical enquiry which asserts that direct and immediate knowledge can only be had of ideas or mental pictures.

positivism

English

(wikipedia positivism) (legal positivism)

Noun

  • (philosophy) A doctrine that states that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such knowledge can only come from positive affirmation of theories through strict scientific method, refusing every form of metaphysics.
  • Practical spirit, sense of reality, concreteness.
  • (legal) A school of thought in jurisprudence in which the law is seen as separated from moral values, the law is posited by lawmakers (humans).
  • Antonyms

    * (in philosophy) antipositivism

    Derived terms

    * logical positivism * legal positivism * neopositivism

    idealism

    Noun

  • The property of a person of having high ideals that are usually unrealizable or at odds with practical life.
  • (philosophy) An approach to philosophical enquiry which asserts that direct and immediate knowledge can only be had of ideas or mental pictures.
  • Synonyms

    * (philosophy) philosophical idealism

    Antonyms

    * (philosophy) materialism

    Derived terms

    * epistemological idealism * metaphysical idealism

    See also

    * realism * pragmatism * materialism * physicalism

    References

    * *