SOC444 Sociological Theory:

Auguste Comte
Sunday, May 20, 2012 1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

Auguste Comte
References
Comte, Auguste. 1896. The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte. Comte, Auguste. 1912. Systeme de Politque Positive. 4th ed. Coser, Lewis A. 1971. Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Hoult, Thomas Ford. 1974. Dictionary of Modern Sociology. Totowa, NJ: Littlefield, Adams & Company. Perdue, William D. 1986. Sociological Theory: Explanation, Paradigm, and Ideology. Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company. Rapoport, Anatol. 1953. Operational Philosophy: Integrating Knowledge and Action. New York: Harper & Brother Publishers.
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Auguste Comte
1798-1857 The father of sociology Born in France

Sunday, May 20, 2012

1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

Auguste Comte
The new social science that Comte sought to establish was first called social physics but he later found the term stolen by another intellectual so he coined the word sociology, a hybrid term compounded of Latin and Greek parts (Coser 1971:3). Comte first used the term sociology in print in 1838 (Perdue 1986:37).
Sunday, May 20, 2012 1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

Auguste Comte
The father of sociology; French philosopher who asserted . . . that the fate of mankind depends in many respects upon the development of a science of human social relationships, that establish scientific disciplines have progressed only to the degree that they have been grounded in facts and experience, and that therefore the needed new science of human social relationships (a science which Comte suggested naming sociology) should adopt the study and experimental techniques of the physical sciences (Hoult 1974:76).
Sunday, May 20, 2012 1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

Auguste Comte: Positivism

August Comtes philosophy based on his conclusion that an intellectual discipline progresses only to the degree that it is grounded in facts and experience, I.e., rests on information about which one can reasonably make positive statements. . .
(Hoult 1974:243-244)

Sunday, May 20, 2012

1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

Auguste Comte: Positivism

Positivism . . . seeks to describe only what obviously is, what one can really be positive about, that is, sense data. A strict positivist, seeing a black sheep on a meadow could not say, There is a black sheep. He could only say, I see a sheep, one side of which is black.
(Rapoport 1953:74)
Sunday, May 20, 2012 1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

Auguste Comte: The Law of Human Progress (or The Law of Three Stages)

As early as 1822, when he was still an apprentice to Saint-Simon, Comte set himself the task to discover through what fixed series of successive transformations the human race, starting from a state not superior to that of the great apes, gradually led to the point at which civilized finds itself today (Comte 1912:Appendix).
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Auguste Comte: The Law of Human Progress (or The Law of Three Stages)

Applying what he conceived to be a method of scientific comparison through time, Comte emerged with his central conception, The of Human Progress or The Law of Three Stages.
(Coser 1971:7)

Sunday, May 20, 2012

1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

Auguste Comte: The Law of Human Progress (or The Law of Three Stages)

Each of our leading conceptions--each branch of our knowledge, passes successively through three different theoretical conditions: the Theological or fictitious; the Metaphysical or abstract; and the Scientific or positive. . .
(Comte 1912:1-2)

Sunday, May 20, 2012

1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

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Auguste Comte: The Law of Human Progress (or The Law of Three Stages)

, , , Comte insists repeatedly that intellectual evolution is the preponderant principle of his explanation of human progress . . .
(Coser 1971:8)

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1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

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Auguste Comte: The Law of Human Progress (or The Law of Three Stages)
Ruled or Dominated Theological From the dawn of Priest --Fictitious man Military Metaphysical Middle Ages Churchmen --Abstract Renaissance Lawyers Scientific Industrialization Industrial --Positive Administrators Scientific Moral Guides
Sunday, May 20, 2012
(Coser Ronald 1998-2006 by 1971:7-8)Keith Bolender

Stage

Time Period

Dominate Social Unit Family State Entire Human Race

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Auguste Comte: Hierarchy of the Sciences

Comtes second best known theory, Hierarchy of the Sciences, is connected with the Law of Human Progress. The social sciences, the most complex and the most dependent for their emergence on the development of all others, are the highest in the hierarchy.
(Coser 1971:9)
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Auguste Comte: Hierarchy of the Sciences

Sociology (Social Sciences) Biology Chemistry Physics Astronomy
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Auguste Comte: Social Statics and Social Dynamics

Social Statics The study of the conditions and preconditions of social order Social Dynamics The study of human progress and evolution
(Coser 1971:10-12)

Sunday, May 20, 2012

1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

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Auguste Comte: Social Statics and Social Dynamics

Social Statics Family

True social unit
Smallest unit of social study in sociology

The individual is not a legitimate component for research in sociology Families become tribes and tribes become nations
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Auguste Comte: Social Statics and Social Dynamics

It is within the family that the elementary egotistical propensities are curbed and harnessed to social purposes. It is by the avenue [of the family] that man comes forth from his mere personality, and learns to live in another, while obeying his most powerful instincts.
Comte (1896:281) and Coser (1971:10)
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Auguste Comte: Social Statics and Social Dynamics

The family is the most elementary social unit and the prototype of all other human associations, for these evolve from family and kinship groups.
Coser (1971:10)

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1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

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Auguste Comte: Social Statics and Social Dynamics

Three Factors of Social Statics Language

The means of storing the thought and culture of preceding generations Without a common language men could never have attained solidarity and consensus Without this collective tool no social order is possible
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Auguste Comte: Social Statics and Social Dynamics

Religion
A common religious belief provides a guide for behavior Religion furnishes the unifying principle, the common ground without which individual differences would tear society apart. Religion is the root of social order It is indispensable for making legitimate the commands of government. No temporal power can endure without the support of spiritual power.
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Auguste Comte: Social Statics and Social Dynamics

Division of Labor
Creates interdependence among members of the society Society ultimately benefits from a properly functioning division of labor As societies become more complex, the division of labor is the only means to properly adjust to that complexity
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Auguste Comte: Social Statics and Social Dynamics

Social Dynamics

If the Social Statics are correctly balanced within a society, Social Dynamics can be orderly and positive for society.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

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Auguste Comte: Normative Doctrine

Normative Doctrine
Comte developed a complex blueprint of the good positive society of the future, a society directed by the spiritual power of priests of the new positive religion and leaders of banking and industry. These scientific sociologistspriests would be the moral guides and censors of the community, using the force of their superior knowledge to recall men to their duties and obligations; they would be the directors of education and the supreme judges of the abilities of each member of society.
Coser (1971:12-13)
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Auguste Comte: Normative Doctrine

Comtes New Positive Order
Love as its Principle Order as its Basis Propress as its Aim Altruism
Live for Others

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1998-2006 by Ronald Keith Bolender

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