乾嘉學術並不只是一種考據學，而只是通過實證的方式研究經與史以實現上達於道的高遠目標。實證的方法與求道的目標就構成了乾嘉學術的根本精神。而且，這種用實證的方式研究經與史的方法，其本身包含著一種「求真」的精神，這與乾嘉學者慣常所說的「實事求是」精神是一致的。本文借鑒現代西方哲學的思維成果，嘗試將乾嘉學術中普遍使用的實證方法稱之為人文實證主義，並對這種人文實證主義方法的得失進行了綱要式的分析，試圖改變學界長期以來對乾嘉學術的刻板看法。

The Qianjia scholarship is not merely a form of textual studies; rather, it sought to pursue Dao through positivist investigation of Classics and history. The method of positivism and the pursuit of Dao form the fundamental spirit of the Qianjia scholarship. Moreover, the method of positivism in the studies of Classics and history contains a spirit of “seeking truth,” which is customarily called “shi shi qiu shi” (seeking truth from facts) by the Qianjia scholars. In this paper I borrow terms and insights from Western philosophy, and label the positivist method applied universally in the Qianjia scholarship as “positivism in humanities,” and briefly evaluate its contribution and limits, with the aim of changing the stereotype of the Qianjia scholarship.