This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...has studied at all completely a single positive science, even without any philosophical purpose in view. It is because they have failed to recognise this essential fact that our psychologists have been led to take their reveries for science, in the belief that they understood the Positive Method because they have read the precepts of Bacon or the discourse of Descartes. 58. I do not know if, in the future, it will become possible to construct by i priori reasoning a genuine course on Method, wholly independent of the philosophical study of the sciences; but I am quite convinced that it cannot be done at present, for the great logical methods cannot yet be explained with sufficient precision apart from their applications. I venture to add, moreover, that, even if such an enterprise could be eventually carried out, which is conceivable, it would nevertheless only be through the study of regular applications of scientific methods that we could succeed in forming a good system of intellectual habits; which is, however, the essential object to be gained by studying method. There is no need to insist further just now on a subject which will frequently recur throughout this work, and in regard to which I shall present some new considerations in the next chapter. 59. The first great direct result of the Positive Philosophy is, then, the manifestation by experience of the laws which our intellectual functions follow in their operations; and, consequently, a precise knowledge of the general rules which are suitable for our guidance in the investigation of truth. 60. A second consequence of no less importance and of much more urgent concern, which must immediately result from the establishment of the Positive Philosophy as denned in this chapter, is...