Application of Positivism and Post Positivism approach in Contemporary Research

Abstract

Research paradigm of inquiry is a philosophical-analytical framework used by researchers to examine real-world problems. Presenting paradigms chronologically suggests a progression from narrowness to enlightenment, but this is untrue(Murphy,2021). The term "positivism" comes from the positive philosophy that was prevalent in 16th-century Francis Bacon's writings. The rationalist, empiricist philosophy that gave rise to positivism was developed by Immanuel Kant, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, John Locke, and Auguste Comte. Auguste Comte, who lived in the 19th century, is credited with creating and popularizing positivism. As a response to theology and metaphysics, positivism developed and  emphasized the existence of a shared reality, it is founded on universal principles. According to Crotty (1998) positivism rejects everything that is subjective, abstract, or metaphysical but embraces experience and verified knowledge. It is described as a scientific philosophical movement that emerged in the early middle  ages.  Auguste Comte, a French philosopher, established positivism as a philosophical movement, coining the term "sociology" to study social phenomena. Influenced by Descartes and Locke, positivism posits that all sciences are the same due to shared laws and discoveries (Croatian encyclopedia, 2021). Social-humanistic processes differ from natural phenomena due to their governed by laws. Research in social and humanistic sciences often focuses on attitudes, opinions, and emotional reactions. The culture of positivism influences school curriculum, particularly ethical and moral education, which is the primary purpose of education (Singh, 2022). The research methods handbook, 2005 explains that positivists argue that empirical and scientific knowledge can explain the world, minimizing discrepancies between perceptions and actual states. Quantitative measurement is used in data collection to mitigate personal biases. In 1965, Thomas Kuhn and Karl Popper challenged logical positivism, leading to the post-positivism school of thought. Popper promoted falsification as an alternative to verifications, arguing that false beliefs cannot be confirmed. Post-positivism reformulates positivism, reintroducing its fundamental presumptions, including experimental methodology and objective truth(Miller,2007).