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.