positivism

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: pos=i=tiv=ism

CIDE DICTIONARY

positivism, n. 

 A system of philosophy originated by M. Auguste Comte, which deals only with positives. It excludes from philosophy everything but the natural phenomena or properties of knowable things, together with their invariable relations of coexistence and succession, as occurring in time and space. Such relations are denominated laws, which are to be discovered by observation, experiment, and comparison. This philosophy holds all inquiry into causes, both efficient and final, to be useless and unprofitable.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

positivism, n.
1 Philos. the philosophical system of Auguste Comte, recognizing only non-metaphysical facts and observable phenomena, and rejecting metaphysics and theism.
2 a religious system founded on this.
3 = logical positivism.

Derivative

positivist n. positivistic adj. positivistically adv.

Etymology

F positivisme (as POSITIVE)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

positivism

n. A philosophy that denies our knowledge of the Real and affirms our ignorance of the Apparent. Its longest exponent is Comte, its broadest Mill and its thickest Spencer.

THESAURUS

positivism

Marxism, animalism, atomism, behaviorism, bigotry, commonsense realism, dialectical materialism, dogmaticalness, dogmatism, down-to-earthness, earthiness, earthliness, empiricism, epiphenomenalism, freedom from illusion, hardheadedness, historical materialism, hylomorphism, hylotheism, hylozoism, infallibilism, lack of feelings, materialism, matter-of-factness, mechanism, natural realism, naturalism, new realism, opinionatedness, peremptoriness, physicalism, physicism, positive philosophy, positiveness, practical-mindedness, practicality, practicalness, pragmaticism, pragmatism, rationality, realism, reasonableness, representative realism, saneness, scientism, secularism, self-opinionatedness, sensibleness, sober-mindedness, substantialism, temporality, unidealism, unromanticalness, unsentimentality, worldliness

ROGET THESAURUS

positivism

Heterodoxy

N heterodoxy, error, false doctrine, heresy, schism, schismaticism, schismaticalness, recusancy, backsliding, apostasy, atheism, bigotry, fanaticism, iconoclasm, hyperorthodoxy, precisianism, bibliolatry, sabbatarianism, puritanism, anthropomorphism, idolatry, superstition, dissent, sectarism, sectarianism, noncomformity, secularism, syncretism, protestantism, Arianism, Adventism, Jansenism, Stundism, Erastianism, Calvinism, quakerism, methodism, anabaptism, Puseyism, tractarianism, ritualism, Origenism, Sabellianism, Socinianism, Deism, Theism, materialism, positivism, latitudinarianism High Church, Low Church, Broad Church, Free Church, ultramontanism, papism, papistry, monkery, papacy, Anglicanism, Catholicism, Romanism, popery, Scarlet Lady, Church of Rome, Greek Church, paganism, heathenism, ethicism, mythology, polytheism, ditheism, tritheism, dualism, heathendom, Judaism, Gentilism, Islamism, Islam, Mohammedanism, Babism, Sufiism, Neoplatonism, Turcism, Brahminism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sabianism, Gnosticism, Hylotheism, Mormonism, Christian Science, heretic, apostate, antichrist, pagan, heathen, painim, paynim, giaour, gentile, pantheist, polytheist, idolator, schismatic, sectary, sectarian, sectarist, seceder, separatist, recusant, dissenter, nonconformist, nonjuror, bigot, fanatic, abdal, iconoclast, latitudinarian, Deist, Theist, Unitarian, positivist, materialist, Homoiousian, Homoousian, limitarian, theosophist, ubiquitarian, skeptic, Protestant, Huguenot, orthodox dissenter, Congregationalist, Independent, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Calvinist, Methodist, Wesleyan, Ana, Baptist, Mormon, Latter-day Saint, Irvingite, Sandemanian, Glassite, Erastian, Sublapsarian, Supralapsarian, Gentoo, Antinomian, Swedenborgian, Adventist, Bible Christian, Bryanite, Brownian, Christian Scientist, Dunker, Ebionite, Eusebian, Faith Curer, Curist, Familist, Jovinianist, Libadist, Quaker, Restitutionist, Shaker, Stundist, Tunker, ultramontane, Anglican, Oxford School, tractarian, Puseyite, ritualist, Puritan, Catholic, Roman, Catholic, Romanist, papist, Jew, Hebrew, Rabbinist, Rabbist, Sadducee, Babist, Motazilite, Mohammedan, Mussulman, Moslem, Shiah, Sunni, Wahabi, Osmanli, Brahmin, Brahman, Parsee, Sufi, Buddhist, Magi, Gymnosophist, fire worshiper, Sabian, Gnostic, Rosicrucian, heterodox, heretical, unorthodox, unscriptural, uncanonical, antiscriptural, apocryphal, unchristian, antichristian, schismatic, recusant, iconoclastic, sectarian, dissenting, dissident, secular, (lay), pagan, heathen, heathenish, ethnic, ethnical, gentile, paynim, pantheistic, polytheistic, Judaical, Mohammedan, Brahminical, Buddhist, Romish, Protestant, bigoted superstitious, fanatical, idolatrous, visionary, slave to no sect, superstitione tollenda religio non tollitur.

Irreligion

N irreligion, indevotion, godlessness, ungodliness, laxity, quietism, skepticism, doubt, unbelief, disbelief, incredulity, incredulousness, want of faith, want of belief, pyrrhonism, bout, agnosticism, atheism, deism, hylotheism, materialism, positivism, nihilism, infidelity, freethinking, antichristianity, rationalism, neology, atheist, skeptic, unbeliever, deist, infidel, pyrrhonist, giaour, heathen, alien, gentile, Nazarene, espri fort, freethinker, latitudinarian, rationalist, materialist, positivist, nihilist, agnostic, somatist, theophobist, irreligious, indevout, undevout, devoutless, godless, graceless, ungodly, unholy, unsanctified, unhallowed, atheistic, without God, skeptical, freethinking, unbelieving, unconverted, incredulous, faithless, lacking faith, deistical, unchristian, antichristian, worldly, mundane, earthly, carnal, worldly minded, irreligiously.