The Theory of Knowledge in Positivism and Its Impact on Metaphysics and Ethics

Abstract

The current study aims to demonstrate the collapse of the theory of knowledge in positivist philosophy, which confined existence to the tangible, and declared that certain knowledge cannot be attained by man except through experience, and that there is no existence for the unseen world. It also worked to destroy the principles of religion and church metaphysics, to distance them from guiding man through the law of the three states, and tried to take the place of religion in drawing a method for man to follow until he reaches happiness by building ethics on experimental foundations, and establishing laws for sociology similar to the laws of nature. The research called for explaining the emergence of realistic philosophy, and its position on religion and ethics through an introduction, four chapters, and a conclusion, based on the analytical inductive method, the comparative method, and the critical method; by inducting and analyzing the principles of positivist philosophy and criticizing it with the balance of reason and the true Sharia.

The research proves that humanity did not begin with polytheism and paganism, but rather began with pure monotheism for God, Lord of the Worlds. Thus, the paganism is nothing but temporary symptoms and backward mental illnesses. The research also proves the stumbling of positivist philosophy and its inability, from an intellectual and practical perspective, to guide the human community instead of religion, as it is impossible to establish laws for human behavior similar to the laws of material nature.