What is the Difference Between Positivism and Constructivism

The main difference between positivism and constructivism is their method of generation and verification of knowledge. According to positivism, knowledge comes from things that can be experienced with the senses or proved by logic but, according to constructivism, humans construct knowledge through their intelligence, experiences and interactions with the world.

Positivism and constructivism are two views explaining the generation and acquisition of knowledge. However, there is a distinct difference between these two theories. 

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Positivism 
     – Definition, Characteristics
2. What is Constructivism
     – Definition, Characteristics, Forms
3. What is the Difference Between Positivism and Constructivism
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Constructivism, Positivism

What is Positivism

Positivism is the philosophical view that all knowledge must be verified through scientific methods such as experiments, observations and logical/mathematical proof. All these scientific methods are able to provide empirical, observable and measurable evidence, which are subject to principles of logic and reasoning. Moreover, according to positivism, things that can be observed with five senses are the only ‘real’ concrete knowledge. Thus, only scientifically and empirically verifiable facts or directly observable and measurable facts are knowledge – everything else is nonexistence. In addition, positivism rejects concepts like metaphysics, which doesn’t use concrete, observable facts.

Figure 1: Auguste Comte

Furthermore, the nineteenth-century French Philosopher Auguste Comte is said to have developed the doctrine of positivism. According to him, “each branch of our knowledge passes successively through three different theoretical conditions: the theological, or fictitious; the metaphysical, or abstract; and the scientific, or positive.” He believed this last stage, which is positivism, to be the ideal state.

What is Constructivism?

Constructivism is the concept that humans construct knowledge through their intelligence, experiences and interactions with the world. According to constructivism, reality is a human construct; thus, reality is always subjective. Moreover, constructivism relates to various theories, including realism and pragmatism. Unlike positivism, constructivism rejects that scientific methods can generate or verify knowledge. Besides, there are different types of constructivism, and they include cognitive constructivism, radical constructivism, biological constructivism, and phenomenological constructivism.

Furthermore, the term constructivism is used in various disciplines to refer to various theories. For example, in the field of education, constructivism refers to a learning theory stating that knowledge is constructed by the knower based on mental activity. However, in the field of art, constructivism is a movement in 20th Century Russian art and architecture. Moreover, in mathematics, constructivism is a view that admits as valid only constructive proofs and entities demonstrable by them, implying that the latter have no independent existence.

Difference Between Positivism and Constructivism

Definition

Positivism is the theory that states knowledge comes from things that can be experienced with the senses or proved by logic, but constructivism is the theory that states humans construct knowledge through their intelligence, experiences and interactions with the world.

Knowledge

In positivism, knowledge is things that can be verified through scientific methods such as experiments, observations and logical/mathematical proof. However, in constructivism, knowledge and reality are human constructs and therefore are subjective.

Fields

We encounter the theory of positivism in philosophy; however, constructivism is a concept we encounter in various disciplines such as philosophy, sociology, education, mathematics and arts.

Conclusion

According to positivism, knowledge comes from things that can be experienced with the senses or proved by logic but, according to socialism, humans construct knowledge through their intelligence, experiences and interactions with the world. Thus, The main difference between positivism and constructivism is their method of generation and verification of knowledge.

Reference: 

1. “Positivism.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Oct. 2019, Available here.
2. Harvey, L. “Constructivism.” Social Research Glossary, Quality Research International, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Portrait dAuguste Comte (maison dA. Comte, Paris) (2424895050)” By Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France – Portrait d’Auguste Comte (maison d’A. Comte, Paris) (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “1300479” (Pixabay License) via Pixabay