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Positivism vs Rationalism - What's the difference?

positivism | rationalism |

In philosophy terms the difference between positivism and rationalism

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 rationalism is the theory that the basis of knowledge is reason, rather than experience or divine revelation.

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

    rationalism

    English

    (wikipedia rationalism)

    Noun

  • (philosophy) The theory that the basis of knowledge is reason, rather than experience or divine revelation.

    • Synonyms

    * intellectualism

    Antonyms

    * irrationalism * traditionalism

    Derived terms

    * critical rationalism

    Related terms

    * rationalist * rationality

    See also

    * empiricism