Auguste Comte

Auguste Comte (1798–1857) was a French philosopher and sociologist and the founder of positivism. Born in Montpellier, he studied at the École Polytechnique in Paris and, after leaving his studies, worked for a time as a private tutor. He later served for several years as secretary to the social philosopher Henri de Saint-Simon. Comte developed the law of the three stages, describing a progression from theological to metaphysical and finally positive thought. His major works include the “Course of Positive Philosophy” (1830), the “System of Positive Polity,” and the “Discourse on the Spirit of Positivism” (1844). He introduced “sociology” as a term for the scientific study of society and its laws.