AUGUSTE COMTE: LAW OF THREE STAGES

THEOLOGICAL, METAPHYSICAL, POSITIVISM

• Comte (1798-1857)
-Social progress: law of three stages
-Theological, Metaphysical, Positivism
-progress: increasing control over environment.

• The three parts in progress

- intellectual, material, moral.
• Social Statics, Social Dynamics
-Social Statics: Law of action, reaction
Study of human nature
Study of social nature.

• Social Dynamics
-progress and development.
-Social processes.
• The Law of three stages:
-Knowledge passes through three stages:
Theological or fictitious.
The Metaphysical or abstract.
Scientific or positive.
• Theological Stage:
-Three subparts: Fetishism
Polytheism
Monotheism
-Fetishism: each object has life.
Stones, trees, river, clouds.
-Polytheism: beliefs, spirits, many Gods.
-Monotheism: beliefs in one God, powerful all
pervading.
• Metaphysical Stage:
- Instead of supernatural
- Abstract forces.
- Power or Force.

• The Positive Stage.

- Scientific stage,
- Observation, reasoning.
- Same mind- positive stage
- In simple, general sciences.
- Metaphysical- more complex sciences.
- Theological: social sciences.
• Concept of positivism:
- Knowledge derived from sensory experience.
- Positivism to analyze social phenomena.

• Salient features of positivism:

- Emphasis on exact, objective knowledge.
- Social phenomena based on definite laws.
- Observation, experimentation and
comparision.
• Hierarchy of Sciences:
- Five Sciences: Mathematics, Astronomy,
Natural Science (Chemistry, Physics), Biology
(Botany, Zoology) and Sociology.
- Mathematics is the oldest- highest perfection.
- After Maths, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry
- Latest Science- Sociology.
• Religious humanity:
- F.S Marvin mentions 4 points of Comte’s
thought:
1. First is humanity.
2. Science as directing force.
3. Synthesis- science to be integrated.
4. Faith needed for prediction of Science.