Positivism Theory Essay

Positivism, (also referred to as empiricism) is often utilize to indicate that this arise to understanding criminality is scientific. The barrier profitableness (or in its more sophisticated draw Logical Positivism) is often apply to refer to an approach that asserts it utilizes science or the scientific method (their sport of science) to understand the causes of criminality and thus the solutions to solving it.Positivism is an epistemological military post or a theory of knowledge which assets that science is based upon theories that dedicate been induced from and only from empirical evidence or the evidence of the senses (hence the term empirical or that which fixation be experienced by the senses). Positivists baulk any evidence that cannot be objective lensly experienced or observed much(prenominal) as that derived from tradition, faith, magic, religion, philosophy or any other form of knowledge or belief that does not have an empirical basis. thence they want to explain criminal deportment by reference to causes that can be observed or measured. Causes have to be material and unmistakable biological positivists look at biological observables such as anatomical reference abnormalities, classifiable genetic or gene patterns, bodily causes etc. psychological positivists allow also look at biological observables but pass on add behavioural factors, child rearing practices and brain abnormalities that cause identifiable behaviour outcomes.Many modern scientists have virtually discredited positivism in favour of what we call the hypothetico-deductionist approach or a falsficationist approach. This approach begins with theoretical conjectures (or hypotheses) and then look fors to prove or disprove them by sum of empirical evidence. However, whatever the differences in method both positivism and hypothetico-deductionism seek empirical evidence for their theoretical positions. Implicit in these approaches is the idea that the scientist is a n objective disinterested observer of natural events with no preconceptions near them.In the end of physics these natural events or laws are said to be found in nature itself as, for example, in the study of such phenomena as the movement of the planets around the Sun, the effect of gravity on the tides and the phenomenon of the seasons created by the movement of the cosmos around the Sun. In these cases the object of study is seen as governed by general natural laws which the scientist has to discover. When this approach is applied in the mankind or brotherly sciences we have to understand our object of study (i. e. human beings or societies) as also governed or regulated by rules that the scientist has to discover. thus Biological Criminologists will use data from such sources as twin studies, family studies, genetic patterns, biochemical aspects and so on anything that can be studied by heart of objective, methods and which may throw up some biological history of that b ehaviour or a principle or a law that explains that behaviour. It follows that in positivist criminality, criminals are place as certain kinds Of human beings who are governed by events or natural phenomena that have been set in place by something external to them and, in a sense, beyond their control.Thus criminals do not make decisions about their criminal behaviour they are, as it were, caused to behave in this way by factors that operate in a sense, behind their backs. Thus, so-called abstract views of human nature such as that they are rational and use reason in making choices about their actions have to be discarded as a cause of behaviour in favour of non-rational causes such as determination by such things as biological inheritance or forms of social conditioning or, in many cases, a combination of both (as in Eysenck).Positivists aim is to aim those with criminal tendencies or those already classified as criminals and use them as their data base. Their goal is to ascerta in what has caused their criminality and then to look for shipway of correcting such criminality or, even better, to ascertain those with tendencies for criminality (before hopefully they couch a crime) and to put some preventative measures in place. Biological positivists broadly look for biological causes generally in genetic inheritance. A soundly know example is that of Klinenfelters Syndrome where a study of known criminals identified was said to be an extra y chromosome.