ABSTRACT
In the middle of the 19th century, the boundary between romanticism and positivism became more clearly established. Given the diversity of viewpoints that it covers, the term "historical positivism" is ripe for misunderstanding. The many methodological problems surrounding historical knowledge that were debated throughout the second half of the 19th century were still fully current at the beginning of the 20th century. They concerned not only scientific history but the social sciences as well, and sociology more specifically. This introduction also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines the key role that history played in the development of the social sciences in the mid-19th century among the pioneers of positivist thought, such as Comte, Cournot, Renan and Taine. It looks at the various ramifications of scientific history as seen from four perspectives, illustrated by authors as diverse as Fustel de Coulanges, Louis Bourdeau, Paul Lacombe and Charles Seignobos.
