Theorists like Comte who had an optimistic eye toward the future are often criticized because they tended to assume a societal evolution occurs that inevitably involves progress, not regression. Is this an especially accurate critique given what happened during the 20th century? How could this regression during the last century relate to Comte’s ideas about order?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• It would be accurate to note disorder led to World War I and the Great Depression because if positivism had been embraced during these times, assassinations of over-leveraged markets that sparked these horrific events might have been avoided
• The Holocaust, World War II, and The Cold War were so horrific largely because the regression was for the most part orderly and organized, which highlights how order does not always lead to progress
• Throughout this awful century, religion and metaphysics were relatively absent compared to times past; thus noting how positivism may not always lead to positive things