A positivism approach is one which aims for knowledge about society to be based on empirical evidence
which is drawn from a series of observations, comparison and experimentation. According to Comets law
of three stages which stated that human efforts can be categorized into three stages namely the
theological, metaphysical and the positive stage. In the initial theological stage thinking was basically
directed by religious belief and ideas, in the metaphysical stage society was seen on a natural note and
lastly leading to scientific discoveries by a few notable names resulted in sociology being regarded on a
scientific approach. The main purpose of research is to unravel laws, realtionships or correaltions between
two or more variables that tend to govern human behavior in light of the adoption of specific quantitative
methods which allow no interaction between the researcher and the participants in order to avoid any or
all source of biasedness or influence that may arise during the investigation. Thus by doing this they tend
to aim to achieve a research that is valid, reliable and representative of the outcome they tend to study.
On the other hand an interpretivism or an anti-positivism approach is one that focuses on understanding
the meaning one gives to their beliefs, values and actions in relationship to people and intistitues. An antipositivism approach to social research consists of a qualitative approach consisting of interviews,
participant observations. Their main argument against positivism is that individuals do not act a particular
way as the positivist believe rather they are complex creatures who tend to experience situations or things
differently from one another. Their research methods are derived from the social action theory. Most of
the statical data acquired by the positivist are socially constructed by themselves thus not being able to
give an in-depth understanding of the individual. Their resrach method includes use of personal
documents, participant observation and unstructed interview which allow for close interaction between
respondent and researcher inorder to acquire a result that is interactive and humanistic.
Ans2: In todays society a positivism approach consists of both positivism technically a scientific
approach and anti postisim its opposite working hand in hand inorder to better naalyse the working of the
world.
Ans 3: Positivism is more realistic since it is backed by scientific data that is conducted through
controlled settings, minus biasness and giving a more etter result.
Ans 4: Comte believed that the scientific study of society should be confined to collecting information
about the phenomena that can be observed and classified.He argued that when investigating all emotional
aspect should be discarded inorder to obtain better results as these emotional states exist in an individuals
concious, are unobservable only exist within that individual.Since positivism deals ewith use of statistical
data ann example of this is when Durkheim collected data on suicide rate and membership of different
religions. Where he intended on understanding social reality by using something as personal as suicide
being explained by structural forces.With the fiurth stage of positivt involving correlations with Durkheim
trying to find a correlation between relaion and suicide rate.
On the other hand an anti positivist example is weber rguing that social change as big industrialization
was actually fueled by something as personal as religious belief thus the social reality was altered by
individuals and their beliefs not by structural forces