Final answer:
The correct answer is not provided among the options, but option (a) is the closest match to the concept of positivism as defined by Hugo Grotius, which emphasizes the importance of reason and natural law yet is distinct from Comte's positivism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of positivism articulated by Hugo Grotius is not accurately captured by the options provided. Grotius' work on natural law is more closely associated with the concept of naturalism, which holds that the natural laws of the world are the only relevant laws governing humanity; this contrasts with positivism proposed by August Comte. However, option (a) mentioning the importance of reason and natural law comes closest, but it is important to note that Grotius’ ideas predate Comte's articulation of positivism.
Classical natural law theory, as contributed to by thinkers like Thomas Aquinas, asserts that human laws must be aligned with natural law, which is guided by reason and observable in the natural order. During the Enlightenment, the notion of natural laws was used to challenge traditional authority and supported the establishment of a social contract and government, but it also highlighted the issue of different interpretations of nature by thinkers like Hobbes and Locke, causing disputes about the objective framework of ethics and morality.