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Comte's 3 Stages of Society & Theory of Positivism

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Lesson Transcript

Instructor: Wind Goodfriend

Wind has her PhD in Social Psychology and Master's in Social Psychology from Purdue University.

Cite this lesson

This lesson focuses on the theories of Auguste Comte. Specifically, Comte suggested that global society
has gone through three stages, called the theological stage, the metaphysical stage, and the scientific
stage. It also covers Comte's theory of 'positivism' and how science and society interact.

Who Was Comte?

When you look up at the night sky, you can see both stars and planets. What do you think the planets
are? This probably seems like a weird question - of course you know the planets are big balls of gas or
rock that revolve around the sun. But is that the same answer someone would have given a thousand
years ago? Do you think the answer might be different a thousand years in the future?

Our understanding of the world reflects how global society has changed over time and how people in
general understand our world. Philosophers have been talking about the nature of society for thousands
of years, going all the way back to ancient Chinese and Greek philosophers such as Confucius or Plato.
This lesson focuses on a much more modern theorist - a sociologist named Auguste Comte.

Comte is famous for being the person who actually came up with the term 'sociology' way back in 1838
to define the study of society. So what did Comte say about how global society has changed over time?

Three Stages to Society

Ancient people in the theological stage believed the planets were gods.

Comte believed that sociology could identify three major stages to the development of global society.
The first and earliest stage is called the theological stage. Starting at the very beginning of human beings
and social groups, Comte believed that in this stage, people viewed the world and events in that world as
a direct expression of the will of various gods. In other words, ancient people believed that everything
around them was a sign of active gods influencing their lives.

For example, ancient people actually believed that planets were gods in the sky, looking down on Earth.
Even the sun was part of the world of the gods; ancient Greeks believed the sun was one wheel on the
massive chariot steered by Apollo. If something bad happened, like a community experienced bad
weather or an earthquake, people in the theological stage would explain that event as a god being upset
and showing his or her anger to the people. In short, the theological stage meant that people used
supernatural or divine explanations to understand society and the world.

Comte's second stage of society is called the metaphysical stage. Comte said that this stage started
around the Middle Ages in Europe, or somewhere around the 1300s. In the metaphysical stage of
society, people viewed the world and events as natural reflections of human tendencies. People in this
stage still believed in divine powers or gods, but they believed that these beings are more abstract and
less directly involved in what happens on a daily basis. Instead, problems in the world are due to defects
in humanity.

An example of thinking in the metaphysical stage is people who believed that the planets were physical
objects in space but that they influenced people's lives via astrology. Do you know what astrological sign
you are? I was born in March, so I'm a Pisces. According to astrology, I'm supposed to be both
imaginative and secretive. The idea here is that societies in the metaphysical stage still believe in some
supernatural or magical aspects of life, but they are also rooted in the concrete parts of life.

People in the metaphysical stage tried potions to cure sickness.

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You are viewing lesson 3 in chapter 1 of the course:

Sociology 101: Intro to Sociology

14 chapters | 126 lessons | 10 flashcard sets

Ch 1. Introduction to Sociology: The Basics

What Is Sociology? - Definition, Themes & Careers in Sociology

5:50

Why Is Sociology Important? - Applications in Public Policy, Social Change & Personal Growth

7:19

Comte's 3 Stages of Society & Theory of Positivism

6:04

9:40

Next Lesson
Sociology's Four Theoretical Perspectives: Structural-Functional, Social Conflict, Feminism & Symbolic
Interactionism

Go to

Introduction to Sociology: The Basics

Ch 2. Key Sociology Theorists

Charles Horton Cooley: Looking Glass Self and the Effect of Primary Groups

7:46

Herbert Spencer: Theory & Social Darwinism

5:47

Gerhard Lenski's Theories of Sociocultural Evolution, Social Stratification & Technology

6:45

Karl Marx: Theory of Class Consciousness and False Consciousness

6:17

Karl Marx on Religion: How Religion Affects Social Inequality

4:28

Karl Marx's Theories: Class Differentiation and Revolution, Socialism & Capitalism

9:45

Bureaucracy: Max Weber's Theory of Impersonal Management

5:00

Emile Durkheim: Society, Integration Level & Suicide Study

5:43

Emile Durkheim's Theories: Functionalism, Anomie and Division of Labor

7:23

W.E.B. Du Bois: Theories, Accomplishments & Double Consciousness

5:28

Harriet Martineau: Theories and Contributions to Sociology

4:16

C. Wright Mills: Sociological Imagination and the Power Elite

8:43

Robert K. Merton: Theories and Functionalism

5:45

Erving Goffman's Theories: Impression Management, Dramaturgy & Symbolic Interaction

6:11

Go to

Key Sociology Theorists

Ch 3. Sociology Research Methods

Ch 4. Foundations of Society

Ch 5. Theories of Individual Social...

Ch 6. Social Groups & Organizations

Ch 7. Diversity in Society

Ch 8. Sex and Gender in Society

Ch 9. Race and Ethnicity in Society

Ch 10. Aging in Society

Ch 11. Economics and Politics

Ch 12. Social Institutions

Ch 13. Social Change Over Time

Ch 14. Studying for Sociology 101

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