August Comte: Being one of the pioneers of Sociology, August Comte is the first who introduced the term “Sociology”. Therefore the credit of calling “Father of Sociology” goes to.him. August Comte was the first to introduce a new science called “Sociology” and a brief note of his contribution confirms a new era for the study of Sociology. He used the word “Sociology” for the first time in his famous work “Positive Philosophy” during 1839. He called Sociology as the scientific study of society. He wanted that this science of society should explain the laws of the social world like natural sciences explain the laws of the physical world.
August Comte insisted that the study of society needs scientific method with objectivity. He believed that theoretical science of society and a systematic investigation of behaviour were needed to improve society.
August Comte divided Sociology into two parts. They are:
(1) Social statics and
(2) social dynamics.
“Social statics” deals with major institutions such as family, economy, religion, etc.
“Social Dynamics” deals with the issue of social change and social progress. Now these . words are called in the name of social structure and social change respectively.
According to August Comte, there is a direct relation between intellectuality and social progress. Related to this he explains law of three stages. They are:
(i) The Theological stage: During this stage all human thoughts were guided by religious ideas and faith in the supernatural powers. It emphasizes the belief that everything is attributed to a particular God.
(ii) The metaphysical stage: During this stage, all human thought were guided by “abstract forces” like nature. It is almost like philosophical inquiry into the nature.
(iii) The positive or scientific stage: This is what the stage that everything based on intellectual way of thinking, looking the world. Through this theory Comte tried to establish the fact that man became more and more rational and scientific in his approach. Comte introduced a theory of classification of sciences.
Through this theory he emphasized that there is interrelation and interdependence of social sciences. August Comte as a supporter of the moral order in the society says that sociologists have taken responsibility of “priesthood of humanity” and should solve the problems of the society. August Comte’s contribution to sociological literature are “Positive Philosophy” and “Positive Polity”.
Herbert Spencer: Herbert Spencer is one of pioneers of Sociology and it has been described Herbert Spencer’s Sociology as socially Darwinistic. Herbert Spencer has been called as “Second Father of Sociology.” Being a famous evolutionist, Spencer was very much influenced by Charles Darwin’s book “The Origin of Species”. He tried to apply the theory of Biological evolution to Sociology.
Spencer used the concept of evolution of animals to explain the evolution of society and he compares the society to human organism. His theory of organic analogy was very much popular earlier even though it has been rejected now. Spencer claimed that man’s mind has evolved in the same way from the simple automatic responses of lower animals to the process of reasoning in the thinking of man. Spencer believed in two kinds of knowledge: knowledge gained by the individual and knowledge gained by the Race. He also developed a theory of two types of society. They are:
(1) Militant society
(2) Industrial society.
These are corresponded to the evolutionary progression. Thus according to him society is changing from simple form to complex form. Spencer stressed that the whole society should be considered as a unit of society. According to him the different parts of society are interrelated and interdependent, not only the parts influence the whole system, but also the whole system influences the parts. While explaining the stages of the development of society his attitude of comparison draws a special attention.
Major works of Herbert Spencer are “Social Statics”, “First Principles”, “Principles of ethics”, “The Man Versus State”, “The study of Sociology”, Principles of Sociology”.
