Logical Positivism

Logical positivism, also known as logical empiricism, is a philosophical movement that spread in Vienna during the 1920s. It suggests that scientific knowledge is the only rational knowledge, and all other traditional doctrines are meaningless—thus not acceptable. Positivism is a theory of philosophy according to which all natural phenomena are based upon positive knowledge, and the empirical sciences verify these characteristics. On the other hand, logical positivism is a theory that emerged from positivism, which believes in analytical and conclusively statements. Hence, the critical difference between them is their history and their influence on each other.

Overview 

Logical positivism (currently known as logical empiricism) is a philosophical outlook depending upon pragmatic observations. It is based upon the doctrine of validation that holds the real and true meaning of statements. 

The theory is also referred to as logical empiricism. Furthermore, it is the disciple of philosophy that arose in Austria and Germany during the 1920s, mainly focussing on rational analysis of information based on logical thinking. The founder of Vienna Circle, Moritz Schlick, is one of the primary figures of logical positivism. 

Logical positivism did not agree with the principles of metaphysics and traditional philosophy. According to this, various philosophical issues are meaningless. During the 1930s, it was represented in the USA, where it influenced American philosophical approaches. Until the 1950s, it was one of the superior aspects of the scientific fields of philosophy, and it influenced logical thinking and other philosophical aspects. 

History of logical positivism 

The term ‘logical positivism’ was coined during the 1920s in the Vienna Circle by Rudolf Carnap and Otto Neurath. They divided the statements into two categories based on their nature: analytical (based on empirical experimentation) and synthetic (based upon sensory experimentation). 

Vienna circle 

Wiener Kries was formerly a group of thinkers, philosophers, scientists and mathematicians formulated during the 1920s in Vienna. The members of this group were very active and shared new ideas related to logical positivism in philosophy. They were involved in the experimentation of scientific languages through various methodologies. The main philosophical movement interlinked with this group was logical positivism, logical empiricism, neopositivism, and scientist movements. 

After that, the prevalence and arising of new meanings of the term took place in America. In 1932, the American Philosophical Association discussed logical positivism. In the same year, many articles and journals were published on the subject. Alfred Ayes (1910–1989), an English philosopher, played a significant role in developing and spreading logical positivism. His book, Language, Truth, and Logic (1936), provided excellent insights into the philosophical movement.

The doctrine of logical positivism 

The doctrine of logical positivism suggests two forms of knowledge—logical reasoning and empirical experience. Modern empiricism rejects prior knowledge, that is, knowledge gained without experience. 

Logical reasoning consists of mathematical concepts that convert into logical statements, whereas empirical knowledge comprises physics, biology, psychology, etc. Experience is the main parameter for understanding the scientific method and wisdom. It posits that the theories of science are genuine. 

Criticism of logical positivism

There are many critiques of the logical positivism movement. There was only ever a loose group of philosophers (including M. Schlick, Rudolf Carnap, H. Feigl, P. Frank, K. Gödel, H. Hahn, V. Kraft, O. Neurath, and F. Waismann) who shared certain principles but held different viewpoints on many topics; hence it brought a lot of discord among them.

Many philosophers argue that logical positivism is restricted to the verifiable form of meaning, which is problematic since it is only valid for research based on scientific principles. 

Many philosophers disagree with the tenets of this philosophical approach. One of them is Karl Popper (1902–1994), who argued that the doctrines of this approach are false. According to him, metaphysical statements are meaningful, and over time, they can be converted into effective forms (measurable) through experimentation and work. 

Conclusion

Since philosophy is a set of beliefs and ideas that elucidates the meaning of life and its complexities, many philosophers have provided different concepts. It consists of several activities (experimentation and research) that philosophers engaged in to understand the dynamics of human behaviour. Positivism is a philosophical theory according to which all natural phenomena are based upon positive knowledge, and empirical sciences verify their characteristics. Conversely, logical positivism, which emerged from positivism, holds analytical and conclusive statements.