Auguste Comte

Sociology French 1798 – 1857 98 quotes

Considered the founder of sociology and positivism, advocating for a scientific approach to studying society.

Quotes by Auguste Comte

The dead govern the living.

System of Positive Polity, Vol. 1 1851

Order and Progress.

System of Positive Polity, Vol. 1 1851

To understand a science, it is necessary to know its history.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

The only real science is the science of man.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

Love, then, is the only principle; order the only basis; and progress the only end.

System of Positive Polity, Vol. 1 1851

The great problem of human life is to reconcile the individual with the collective.

System of Positive Polity, Vol. 1 1851

Know in order to predict, and predict in order to act.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

Sociology is the science of society.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 4 1838

The true social unit is the family.

System of Positive Polity, Vol. 2 1851

The object of all true philosophy is to discover the laws of phenomena.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

The intellect should be the servant of the heart.

System of Positive Polity, Vol. 1 1851

The scientific spirit is essentially a spirit of observation, not of imagination.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

The three stages of human intellectual development are the theological, the metaphysical, and the positive.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

The positive stage is the final and highest stage of human thought.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

The aim of all science is to establish general laws.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

The only absolute principle is that everything is relative.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

The true philosopher is the one who observes and generalizes.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 1 1830

The social organism is more complex than any other organism.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 4 1838

The study of society must be based on observation and experiment.

Course of Positive Philosophy, Vol. 4 1838

The true religion is humanity.

System of Positive Polity, Vol. 1 1851