Who is widely acknowledged as the founder of contemporary sociology?
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Answer: D. August Comte
Explanation
Auguste Comte officially coined the term sociology and established the foundational framework for the discipline. He believed that society operates according to invariable laws similar to the physical natural sciences. His philosophical approach, known as positivism, laid the groundwork for empirical social scientific research. Auguste Comte lived in France during a period of immense political and social upheaval following the revolution. He formulated the law of three stages, proposing that societies progress from theological to metaphysical to positive. His visionary writings aimed to reorganize society scientifically to achieve lasting social order and harmony.
Modern social researchers still rely on Comtean positivist principles when gathering quantitative empirical survey data. This history matters because it marks the birth of systematic inquiry into human group behavior. Universities worldwide teach Comte's foundational theories in introductory sociology courses to contextualize the field. Herbert Spencer applied evolutionary theories to societies, developing the controversial concept of social Darwinism. Emile Durkheim institutionalized sociology as an academic discipline and studied social facts through empirical data. Max Weber contributed interpretive sociology and bureaucratic theories long after Comte established the field.
- Subject
- Psychology
- Category
- Psychology
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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