VIIL] THE SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS OF POSITIVISM. 143 



inconsistent in itself, and it is inconsistent with fact. Let us 

 consider the main points of this classification successively : 



&quot; II faut distinguer par rapport a tous les ordres des phenomenes, deux 

 genres de sciences naturelles ; les unes abstraites, generales, ont pour objet 

 la decouverte des lois qui re&quot;gissent les diverses classes de phenomenes, en 

 considerant tous les cas qu on peut concevoir ; les autres concretes, particu- 

 lieres, descriptives, et qu on designe quelquefois sous le nom des sciences 

 naturelles proprement dites, consistent dans 1 application de ces lois a 

 1 histoire eft ective des differents etres existants.&quot; l 



The &quot; abstract &quot; sciences are subsequently said to be mathe 

 matics, astronomy,* physics, chemistry, physiology, and social 

 physics the titles of the two latter being subsequently changed 

 to biology and sociology. M. Comte exemplifies the distinction 

 between his abstract and his concrete sciences as follows : 



&quot; On pourra d abord 1 apercevoir tres-nettement en comparant, d une part, 

 la physiologic g^nerale, et d une autre part la zoologie et la botanique 

 proprement dites. Ce sont evidemment, en effet, deux travaux d : un 

 caractere fort distinct, que d 4tudier, en general, les lois de la vie, ou de 

 determiner le mode d existence de chaque corps vivant, en particulier. 

 Cette seconde etude, en outre, est necessairement fondee sur la premiere&quot; -P. 57. 



All the unreality and mere bookishness of M. Comte s know 

 ledge of physical science comes out in the passage I have 

 italicised. &quot; The special study of living beings is based upon 

 a general study of the laws of life ! &quot; What little I know about 

 the matter leads me to think that, if M. Comte had possessed 

 the slightest practical acquaintance with biological science, he 

 would have turned his phraseology upside down, and have 

 perceived that we can have no knowledge of the general laws of 

 life, except that which is based upon the study of particular 

 living beings. 



The illustration is surely unluckily chosen ; but the language 

 in which these so-called abstract sciences are defined seems to 

 me to be still more open to criticism. With what propriety can 

 astronomy, or physics, or chemistry, or biology, be said to occupy 

 themselves with the consideration of &quot;all conceivable cases&quot; 

 which fall within their respective provinces ? Does the astro 

 nomer occupy himself with any other system of the universe than 

 1 &quot; Philosophie Positive,&quot; i. p. 56. 



