On Positivism and Positivists

interpretations of Brazilian Positivism

Abstract

The article describes the main lines of interpretation regarding positivism in Brazil, from its initial emergence to more recent analyses. It intends to show that the specialized bibliography can be divided into three mayor explanatory waves, the first two highy influenced by the official history of Brazilian positivism and thus liable to errors in their evaluation of the movement in Brazil. More recent analyses, on the other hand, have moved towards the integration of Brazilian positivism, realizing it cannot be dealt with in monolithic fashion. Attention is also called to the schismatic nature of this movement and the need to approach it.by taking into account its role within the overall political, economic, and intellectual context, emphasizing its modernizing momentum — much as in its origins it is a conservative ideology.