Logical Positivism
Serious Errors in Current Structures of Western Social Science have occurred due to widespread acceptance of the philosophy of logical positivism. This issue is discussed in papers listed below. See METHODOLOGY for more related papers.
Research Opportunities Created by the Collapse of Logical Positivism: Talk at PIDE "Nurturing Minds" Seminar on Tuesday 28th January 2014.
ABSTRACT: The rise and fall of logical positivism is one of the most spectacular stories of the twentieth century. The philosophy of logical positivism, which asserts that there is no knowledge other than scientific knowledge, became nearly universally accepted in the academia in the early twentieth century. Many of its tenets spilled over to popular culture, who came to believe in key philosophical assertions as if they were simple facts. Social sciences were dramatically affected by these developments, as they scrambled for respectability by putting their disciplines on a “scientific” basis, as defined by positivism. In the middle of the twentieth century, there was an equally spectacular crash, as some of the key propositions of logical positivism were proven wrong. Many of the originators and popularizers of this philosophy admitted that “it was all wrong”. Unfortunately, many social sciences continue to base their methodology on failed philosophy of logical positivism. This means, as the historian and philosopher of science Peter Manicas writes, that there is room for a through-going revolution in the foundations of social sciences. We will point out five specific dimensions where postivist methodology is seriously mistaken, and show how new directions and dimensions for research of fundamental importance to current problems are created by correcting these mistakes.
Logical Positivist Methodology and Islamic Economics: 20th October 2012; prepared for 2nd International Conference on Islamic Economics and Economies of Muslim Countries that Department of Economics, KENMS, IIUM, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is organizing during 29-30 January 2013
We provide a detailed discussion of current methodology of economics and its emergence from secular roots in Europe. The foundational principles of this methodology, which is based on logical positivism, are in conflict with Islam. We then sketch some alternative methodologies which would be more suitable for Islamic economics.
We first describe how logical positivism emerged as the dominant philosophy of science, and how it was adopted into the foundations of economics. We then show that the current economic methodology is based on logical positivism. This philosophy is anti-Islamic, and therefore cannot be used to construct Islamic Economics. There are two main points of opposition. Logical Positivism rejects the unseen, while Islam requires faith in the unseen. Logical Positivism rejects morality as unscientific, while morality is a central part of Islamic teachings. This means that a methodology for Islamic economics must be radically different from that currently in use in conventional economic theory. Some essential elements of an alternative methodology are sketched.
“Methodological Mistakes and Econometric Consequences,”International Econometric Review, Sep. 2012, Vol. 4, Issue 2, p.99-122. ABSTRACT: Econometric Methodology is based on logical positivist principles. Since logical positivism has collapsed, it is necessary to re-think these foundations. We show that positivist methodology has led econometricians to a meaningless search for patterns in the data. An alternative methodology which relates observed patterns to real causal structures is proposed
"Deification of Science and Its Disastrous Consequences." submitted to American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, April 2013.