Comte's posthumanist social science

Bibliographic Data

ID4480941
AuthorsFlorence Chiew (0000-0003-0562-8342, Macquarie University, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume174
Issue1
Pages42-61
Publication date2023-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThesis Eleven (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0725-5136 • E-ISSN: 1461-7455
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/07255136221098440
OpenAlexW4280641708
LanguageEN
References cited16

Auguste Comte's classical status in sociology and social theory is routinely taken to mean outdated. Coupled with this perception, there has been a pervasive tendency within contemporary discourse to presume a positivism that is largely rationalistic or scientistic and therefore critically and analytically useless. This paper explores how some of Comte's lesser acknowledged perspectives on science, history, 'progress' and what it is to be human may yet compel us to reexamine our ideas about the kind of positivism we think we have inherited and therefore need to renounce. I focus my reading of Comte through the lens of genealogies of thought not normally associated with his work, for instance, science and technology studies (STS) and posthumanist social theory

Critical theory · Epistemology · Human science · Positivism · Scientism · Social science · Social theory · Sociology · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Legal and Social Philosophy · Philosophy · Philosophy and History of Science

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