@article{article_786203, title={L’introduction et l’appropriation du positivisme dans l’Empire Ottoman}, journal={İslam Araştırmaları Dergisi}, pages={75–88}, year={2009}, author={Kabakcı, Enes}, keywords={Positivism, Ottoman, Ahmet Rıza, Young Turks, Reform}, abstract={The Introduction and Appropriation of Positivism in the Ottoman Empire To describe the modernization and spread of positivism in connection with what occurred during the last part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century as blind imitation indicates a deficiency in understanding of the nature of social processes. This article aims to define the entrance of positivism into the Ottoman Empire and its adoption by some of the Ottoman intellectuals not as a cause and effect relationship, but rather as an expression of interaction which indicates that both of those affecting and being affected were influential in this process. Moreover, how the rationale and aims of the interests of the Ottoman intellectuals in positivism differed from the rationale and aims of the French positivists who expended efforts to bring positivism to the Ottomans will be examined; it will also be emphasized how, as an ideology, positivism necessitated a differentiation between modernization, reform, and positivism as a means of development and consolidation. In this connection, it is emphasized that Ottoman modernization was essentially aimed at the goal of “saving the state”; the reforms carried out in the military and administration ıslahat and the Tanzimat and the thought process on which these were based will also be examined. The role played by the Young Turks, some of the most important actors in the process in question, will be examined, as well as the positivism of the most effective representative of this trend, Ahmet Rıza; his approach was not a process of acquisition, but rather a new interpretation of positivism. Also, examples will be given of how Ahmet Rıza tried to express the historical-philosophical heritage of the Ottomans in the language and concepts of positivism}, number={21}, publisher={Turkish Religious Foundation Centre for Islamic Studies}