Auguste Comte

Auguste Comte (full name Isidore Marie Auguste François Xavier Comte) (January 17 (recorded January 19), 1798 - September 5, 1857) was a positivist thinker and came up with the term of sociology to name the new science made by Saint-Simon.

His life

Known as the 'Father of Sociology', he was born in Montpellier, in southwestern France. After attending school there, Comte was allowed to study at the École Polytechnique in Paris. The École Polytechnique was a place adhering to the French republican ideals and to progress. In 1816, the École closed for re-organization. Students could apply for readmission at a later date. Thus Comte had to leave the École and continued his studies at the medical school in Montpellier. When the École was reopened, he did not try to gain readmission.

Related Topics:
Montpellier - École Polytechnique - Paris - Republic - Progress - 1816

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Soon he saw unbridgeable differences with his Catholic and Monarchist family and left again for Paris, earning money by small jobs. Then he became a student and secretary for Claude Henri de Rouvroy, Comte de Saint-Simon, who brought Comte into intellectual society. In 1824, Comte left Saint-Simon, again because of unbridgeable differences.

Related Topics:
Catholic - Monarchist - Claude Henri de Rouvroy, Comte de Saint-Simon - 1824

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Comte now knew what he wanted to do: work out the philosophy of positivism. This plan he published as Plan de traveaux scientifiques nécessaires pour réorganiser la société (1822). But he failed to get an academic position. His day-to-day life depended on sponsors and financial help from friends.

Related Topics:
Positivism - 1822

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He married Caroline Massin, but divorced in 1842. Comte was known as an arrogant, violent and fiery man. In 1826 he was brought into a mental health hospital, but left it without being cured -- only stabilized by Massin -- so that he could work again on his plan. In the time between this and their divorce, he published the six volumes of his Cours.

Related Topics:
1842 - 1826

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From 1844, Comte was involved with Clotilde de Vaux, a relationship that remained platonic. After her death in 1846 this love became quasi-religious, and Comte saw himself as founder and prophet of a new "religion of humanity". He published four volumes of Système de politique positive (1851 - 1854).

Related Topics:
1844 - Clotilde de Vaux - Platonic - 1846 - Religion of humanity - 1851 - 1854

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He died in Paris on September 5th, 1857.

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