Final answer:
Austrian logical positivism was related to Comte's positivism in that both sought empirical bases for knowledge but differed in focus; Comte's was sociological while the Vienna Circle's logical positivism was analytic, centered on language and the philosophy of science.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Austrian school of logical positivism, developed by the Vienna Circle, indeed shares some common ground with Auguste Comte's positivism, although there are fundamental differences between the two. Comte's positivism is a broader sociological and philosophical movement that emphasizes the scientific approach to understanding society and rejects metaphysical speculation. He believed that societies evolve through certain stages, with the final stage being one where scientific knowledge prevails over religious or metaphysical explanations.
The logical positivists, on the other hand, were more focused on language, meaning, and the verification principle, declaring statements without empirical verification as meaningless, including religious claims. While both forms of positivism are empirically oriented and skeptical of metaphysics, logical positivism is primarily concerned with the philosophy of science and language rather than the sociological emphasis found in Comte's work. Moreover, logical positivism emerged as part of an early 20th-century philosophical movement, while Comte's ideas were part of his 19th-century sociological theory.
Furthermore, while Comte did foresee humanity outgrowing religion in favor of science, he did not entirely dismiss spiritual needs, founding a 'religion of humanity' to meet the moral and spiritual needs of society in a secular manner. In contrast, the Vienna Circle's approach was more dismissive of religious language and metaphysics altogether.