Pozityvizmo samprata

LTDaugelio postmodernistų požiūriu, pozityvizmas yra bene tipiškiausia modernistinė filosofija. O kadangi postmodernistai modernybę vertina labai neigiamai, tai tas neigiamas vertinimas taikomas ir pozityvizmui - į jį žiūrima kaip į didžiausių modernybės trūkumų įkūnijimą. Tiesa, pats postmodernizmas nėra ir nenori būti apibrėžta filosofijos kryptis, grindžiama aiškiomis nuostatomis, nes jo atstovai linkę pabrėžti postmodernistinių idėjų ir nuostatų įvairovę, pliuralizmą, nehomogeniškumą. Bet jei, tarkime, toksai Lyotard'as, kurio Postmodernus būvis yra beveik kiekvieno postmodernisto parankinė knyga, vis dėlto bando, kad ir negatyviai, nusakyti, kas yra postmodernizmas, jis pabrėžia, kad postmodernistai netiki vadinamaisiais didžiaisiais pasakojimais, kuriais tikėjo modernistai. Kalbant apie pozityvizmą, tokiu didžiuoju naratyvu reikėtų, matyt, laikyti pasakojimą apie žmogaus proto pažangą ir jos teigiamą poveikį socialinei pažangai. Atrodo, kad tiek vienos, tiek kitos pažangos galimybe postmodernistai iš principo abejoja. Kaip nurodo vienas iš įtakingų postmodernizmo teoretikų, „postmodernizmas, kaip meninis, filosofinis ir socialinis reiškinys, linksta prie atvirų, žaismingų, pasirenkamų, laikinų (neužbaigtų laiko, struktūros ir erdvės atžvilgiu), alternatyvių ar neapibrėžtų formų, prie fragmentiško, suskaldyto ir ironiško diskurso su spragomis ir trūkiais, sudėtingais ir neslepiamais nutylėjimais". Kadangi postmodernizmui tikrovė yra daugialypė, lokali, neturinti įrodomo pagrindo, tai jis programiškai linkęs toleruoti dviprasmiškumą ir pliuralizmą. Vadovaujantis tokiomis nuostatomis sunku kalbėti apie žmogiškojo pažinimo pažangą. O abejojant pastarąja sunku tikėti ir socialiniu progresu, nors postmodernistų darbuose ir nestinga deklaratyvių pareiškimų apie tai, kad jie siekia išlaisvinti mus nuo visų galimų priespaudos formų [p. 8.

ENThe author attempts to redefine the concept of positivism, which is often understood too narrowly. He seeks to demonstrate that positivism is a continuous trend of thought spanning more than two centuries and not merely a label applicable only to the philosophy of Auguste Comte and logical positivism, as even some professionals still believe. Positivism was originated not by Auguste Comte but by David Hume. When defining the concept of positivism, the author tries to identify the attitudes and principles most characteristic of this philosophy. Somewhat paradoxically, the main attitude shared by all positivists is a negative one: they are hostile toward any metaphysics. Of course, it is almost always possible to find a positive position behind the negative one. In this instance, this positive stance may be expressed in the following way: only the understanding and information acquired with the aid of scientific methods have real value and are worthy of the appellation knowledge. Metaphysics must be rejected precisely because it does not use scientific methods to reach its conclusions. The antimetaphysical attitude of positivism most often prevails over positivism proper, which may be defined as an intention to do philosophy in a scientific way. Positivists are interested not in deep insights concerning the nature of being, God, soul, or matter, but in exact, useful, constructive, and real - or to put it in one word, positive - knowledge.According to them, positive knowledge is based on empirical facts and logical reasoning and cannot transcend the boundaries of possible experience, which metaphysicians cross so carelessly and foolishly. This positive knowledge is incompatible with any claims whatever regarding what is below, behind, or above possible experience. On the other hand, all positivists agree that there is some kind of unity between different kinds of positive knowledge, especially between knowledge acquired in the natural and social sciences. A distinction between facts and norms is of fundamental importance for positivism as well. Its representatives are convinced that all science deals exclusively with facts and does not involve value judgments. And it examines both natural and social facts with the help of rather similar methods. Last but not least, all positivists believe that the advance of positive knowledge and elimination (or at least restriction) of metaphysics and all other prejudices brings about not only intellectual but also social progress. Positive knowledge is in principle value-free, but it is a powerful means which may be used for enhancing the well-being of humanity. This core of shared beliefs survived important historical changes. New ideas enriching positivist philosophy were introduced, different subjects were discussed, different methods of analysis were used, and different conceptual structures were built, but the movement continued to maintain its identity throughout the two centuries which separate David Hume and Rudolf Carnap.