notes + question-answer on Auguste Comte (A. Comte): Law of Three Stages, Positivism, Social Statics and Dynamics, Hierarchy of Sciences.

 

📘 Notes on Auguste Comte

1. Law of Three Stages

Comte believed human thought and society progress through three intellectual stages:

1. Theological Stage

   • Explanations based on supernatural or divine powers.

   • Sub-stages:

     • Fetishism (worship of objects),

     • Polytheism (belief in many gods),

     • Monotheism (belief in one God).

2. Metaphysical Stage

   • Abstract principles, essences, and forces replace gods.

   • Example: Nature, vital force, liberty, etc.

3. Positive (Scientific) Stage

   • Explanations based on scientific observation, experimentation, and reasoning.

   • Search for laws governing social phenomena (like in natural sciences).

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2. Positivism

• A philosophy developed by Comte.

• Emphasizes scientific method, observation, and empirical verification.

• Rejects speculation or metaphysical explanations.

• Foundation of sociology as a science.

• Aim: To discover the laws of society like natural sciences discover laws of nature.

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3. Social Statics and Social Dynamics

• Social Statics: Study of social order, structure, harmony, and institutions that maintain stability.

  • Example: Family, religion, state, etc.

• Social Dynamics: Study of social progress and change through history.

  • Explains how societies evolve and transform.

• Together, they form the basis of sociology:

  • Statics = Structure (what holds society together).

  • Dynamics = Change (what drives society forward).

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4. Hierarchy of Sciences

Comte arranged sciences in a hierarchy, from the most simple/general to the most complex/specialized.

• Mathematics → Astronomy → Physics → Chemistry → Biology → Sociology.

• Each higher science depends on the lower ones but adds complexity.

• Sociology is the “Queen of Sciences”, the most complex, as it studies human society.

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❓ Questions and Answers

Q1. Who is known as the Father of Sociology?

Ans: Auguste Comte is known as the Father of Sociology.

Q2. What are the three stages in Comte’s Law of Three Stages?

Ans:

1. Theological stage (supernatural explanations),

2. Metaphysical stage (abstract principles),

3. Positive stage (scientific reasoning).

Q3. Define Positivism in simple terms.

Ans: Positivism is the philosophy that true knowledge is based only on scientific observation and facts, not speculation or metaphysics.

Q4. Differentiate between Social Statics and Social Dynamics.

Ans:

• Social Statics: Study of social order and stability (family, religion, institutions).

• Social Dynamics: Study of change, progress, and development of society.

Q5. What is Comte’s Hierarchy of Sciences?

Ans: It is the classification of sciences in an order of increasing complexity: Mathematics → Astronomy → Physics → Chemistry → Biology → Sociology. Sociology is the highest and most complex science.

Q6. Why is Sociology called the “Queen of Sciences” according to Comte?

Ans: Because sociology integrates knowledge from other sciences and studies the most complex phenomena—human society.