Auguste Comte 1798 1857 The Father of Sociology

Auguste Comte (1798 -1857) “The Father of Sociology” (or not? ? )

Auguste Comte (1798 -1857) ISIDORE AUGUSTE MARIE FRANCOIS XAVIER COMTE l BORN JANUARY 19, 1798 l WAS “SICK BUT SMART” l

Comte cont’d. IN 1814 HE ENTERED THE ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE, 4 TH ON LIST SCHOOL CLOSED IN 1816 l SUPPORTED HIMSELF BY TUTORING, DID NOT REAPPLY WHEN SCHOOL REOPENED l MET HENRI SAINTSIMON IN 1817 BROKE WITH SAINTSIMON IN 1824 l MARRIED IN 1825 l INSTITUTIONALIZED, REMOVED BY WIFE, NOT DEEMED CURED, TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE l

Comte cont’d. 1838, WOULD READ NO l PREACHED MORE "FOR REASONS SUBMISSION AND OF CEREBRAL NECESSITY OF HYGIENE“ ORDER, THIS IS l FROM 1844 ON HE SIGNED HIS WRITINGS WHAT ALL GREAT "THE FOUNDER OF LEADERS HAD IN UNIVERSAL COMMON RELIGION, GREAT PRIEST OF l DIED ON SEPT. 5, HUMANITY" l 1857 OF CANCER

SCIENTIFIC WORKS GOAL TO FIND GENERAL LAWS OF SOCIETY SOCIAL PHYSICS - ONCE FOUND USED FOR SOCIAL ENGINEERING --created terms “social statics” and “social dynamics” to refer to the stability of and changes within society… terms from physics.

The Law of Human Progress HE DECREED THIS TO BE THE MOST BASIC OF ALL SOCIAL LAWS: ---All human knowledge evolves through three distinct stages:

The “Stages of Knowledge” 1. THEOLOGICAL - MILITARY NATURAL PHENOMENA EXPLAINED AS BEING DUE TO THE WILL AND ACTION OF DIVINITIES l 2. METAPHYSICAL - JUDICIAL NATURAL PHENOMENA EXPLAINED AS BEING DUE TO SOME FORCE WITHIN THE OBJECT ITSELF (I. E. EARTHLY CAUSES) l 3. POSITIVISTIC – INDUSTRIAL/SCIENTIFIC l

Analysis of the “Theological Stage” l THEOLOGICAL STAGE OF KNOWLEDGE l ---the earliest stage l --can itself be broken down into three substages…

Theological Stage, cont’d. a. FETISHISM --- attributing powers and causes of phenomena to special objects, often inanimate (Ex: rocks, trees, etc. ) b. POLYTHEISM –multiple gods c. MONOTHEISM – a single God *notice how knowledge over time becomes “refined” or “reduced” to Comte

The Metaphysical Stage l Comte’s metaphysical stage is one in which the concept of God as the cause of earthly phenomena becomes “abandoned” in lieu of “earthly causes” l This is a transitional and “philosophical” stage of explanation of social phenomena

The POSITIVE STAGE According to Comte, this is the “highest form of human knowledge” l It is inherently scientific and technological and can be used to solve social problems and be used forever to improve human society l It would, according to Comte, replace traditional religions and create a society that worshipped itself… l

Statics and Dynamics COMTE'S SOCIOLOGY DIVIDES INTO TWO PARTS: STATICS AND DYNAMICS l STATICS: THE STUDY OF EXISTENT CONDITIONS (SOCIAL ORDER) l DYNAMICS: THE STUDY OF THE LAWS OF SUCCESSION OF THE THREE STAGES (PROGRESS)

Statics STATICS: THE BASIC FACT OF SOCIAL ORDER IS, CONSENSUS UNIVERSALIS, THE NECESSARY CORRELATION OR INTERCONNECTION AMONG THE ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY

Three Levels of Society COMTE DISTINGUISHED THREE LEVELS OF SOCIETY; l A. THE INDIVIDUAL (BIOLOGICAL) l B. FAMILY l C. SOCIAL COMBINATIONS (CITIES) HUMANITY ITSELF IS THE HIGHEST FORM THE BASIC SOCIAL UNIT FOR SOCIOLOGY WAS THE FAMILY

Dynamics DYNAMICS: l l l A. PROGRESS IS OBSERVABLE IN ALL ASPECTS OF SOCIETY, PHYSICAL, MORAL, INTELLECTUAL, POLITICAL B. THE INTELLECTUAL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, HISTORY IS DOMINATED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS LEADING TO CHANGES IN OTHER AREAS C. COMTE SAID THAT "CORRELATIONS" BETWEEN BASIC INTELLECTUAL STAGES AND STAGES OF MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT, TYPES OF SOCIAL UNITS, TYPES OF SOCIAL ORDER, AND SENTIMENTS

Conclusion l Comte used his new “religion” of sociology to “appoint” himself “pope” of the faith and eventually offered to rule the world under the Comtean scheme… insanity, grandiosity, and depression set into his mind He did coin the term “Sociology” and is credited with being its founder, but was he really? l About 150 years earlier the Italian scholar Giambattista Vico created what he called “The New Science”. It was almost identical to Comte’s work. l

Final Thoughts… l While sociology was l The British created as a kind of evolutionary naturalist “cult movement” by Herbert Spencer read Comte, it eventually them and began calling grew into the social himself a “sociologist” science we know today. l Comte died a tragic Comte’s works were figure but left a legacy translated into English by Harriet called “sociology” Martineau…