Auguste Comte: The Birth of Positivism and the Law of Three Stages

Auguste Comte (1798–1857), who was born in Montpellier and passed away in Paris, is recognized as the founder of positivism, a philosophy grounded in observable facts. In 1817, he began working with Saint-Simon, but their partnership ended in 1824. Comte pursued an academic career in Paris, initially serving as a répétiteur and later as an examinateur. He offered private lectures that were later compiled into 'Cours de philosophie positive' (1830–1842) and summarized in 'Discours sur l'esprit positif' (1844). After facing personal and financial hardships, he attempted suicide. Encouraged by a student’s sister, he released 'Discours sur l'ensemble du positivisme' in 1848, advocating for a positivist religion. Comte died from internal hemorrhage in 1857 at the age of 59. His philosophical contributions include the law of three stages and the restructuring of society based on positive knowledge. This article was written by Vanessa Romani for MIfacciodiCultura and published on Artspecialday.