t merely the greater
part, but the whole, of our knowledge will be impressed with one
character, the character, namely, of positivity or scientificalness; and
all our conceptions in every part of knowledge will be thoroughly
homogeneous. The gains of such a change are enormous. The new
philosophical unity will now in its turn regenerate all the elements
that went to its own formation. The mind will pursue knowledge without
the wasteful jar and friction of conflicting methods and mutually
hostile conceptions; education will be regenerated; and society will
reorganize itself on the only possible solid base--a homogeneous
philosophy.

Classification of sciences.

The _Positive Philosophy_ has another object besides the demonstration
of the necessity and propriety of a science of society. This object is
to show the sciences as branches from a single trunk,--is to give to
science the ensemble or spirit or generality hitherto confined to
philosophy, and to give to philosophy the rigour and solidity of
science. Comte's special object is a study of social physics, a science
that before his advent was still to be formed; his second object is a
review of the methods and leading generalities of all the positive
sciences already formed, so that we may know both what system of inquiry
to follow in our new science, and also where the new science will stand
in relation to other knowledge.

The first step in this direction is to arrange scientific method and
positive knowledge in order, and this brings us to another cardinal
element in the Comtist system, the classification of the sciences. In
the front of the inquiry lies one main division, that, namely, between
speculative and practical knowledge. With the latter we have no concern.
Speculative or theoretic knowledge is divided into abstract and
concrete. The former is concerned with the laws that regulate phenomena
in all conceivable cases: the latter is concerned with the application
of these laws. Concrete science relates to objects or beings; abstract
science to events. The former is particular or descriptive; the latter
is general. Thus, physiology is an abstract science; but zoology is
concrete. Chemistry is abstract; mineralogy is concrete. It is the
method and knowledge of the abstract sciences that the Positive
Philosophy has to reorganize in a great whole.

Comte's principle of classification is that the dependence and order of
scientific study follows the dependen