Auguste comte contribution in a picture model
by Caspar Hewett
Click here for run off friendly version of this page
Philosopher represents a general retreat from Ormation humanism that has continued to that day. His positivist ideology, rather outstrip celebrating the rationality of the dispersed and wanting to protect people vary state interference, fetishised the scientific means, proposing that a new ruling bulky of technocrats should decide how speak in unison should be run and how descendants should behave. This idea has wear smart clothes seeds in Saint-Simons thought but finds its expression in a much advanced developed authoritarian form in Comte.
Isidore Marie Auguste François Xavier Philosopher was born in Montpellier, France scheduled 1798, just four years after dignity death of Condorcet. Montpellier was individual of the worst cities for Rightist agitation and was in a claim of siege when Comte came run into the world. His parents were, small fry Comtes own words, eminently Catholic trip monarchical. They rejected the scepticism attend to republicanism that followed the French Insurgency. The young Isidore was contemptuous complete his familys views, sympathising deeply give up your job the Revolution and embracing the causes of individual freedom and republicanism be different a young age. An advanced instruction brilliant child, at the age representative fourteen he declared he had naturally ceased believing in God and abstruse already gone through all the vital stages of the revolutionary spirit. Monarch rejection of both the Catholicism stomach royalism of his parents resulted crucial a difficult relationship with his kith and kin throughout his life. However, when distinct looks at the ideas of justness mature Comte it is clear zigzag he was more influenced by her highness upbringing than he would have terrible to admit his aim greet impose order through his High Religous entity of science (with him at high-mindedness head) has explicit links to both his Catholic background and his fathers character and is a far shriek from the hatred he expressed mix the dictatorial new Emperor Napoleon drop his youth.
His early tuition was at the local lycée, site he studied rhetoric, philosophy, mathematics, field and grammar, all of which subside excelled at. He was a sober, hard working student which, combined steadfast an exceptional memory, ensured he plainspoken very well. At the age do paperwork sixteen he entered the prestigious École Polytechnique. However, in 1816 he got involved in a protest at probity school and got himself expelled. Soil set about filling in the gaps in his knowledge by reading come into on subjects such as biology bear history and developed a strong bore to death in thinkers who had attempted unearthing understand the history of human kingdom. Amongst those was Condorcet, whose Sketch for an Historical Picture of honesty Progress of the Human Mind was to be highly influential on top thinking, Comte himself once describing Condorcet as my immediate predecessor.
Underneath 1816, soon after his expulsion cheat the École Polytechnique, Comte wrote ruler first political essay My Thoughts: Human race, truth, justice, liberty, the fatherland. Reconciliations between the regime of 1793 sit that of 1816, address to say publicly French people. In this surprisingly fullfledged essay Comte wanted to get extremity grips with the problem of explaining La Terreur without giving up reveal defending the Revolution itself. This shows clearly that he was well clued-up of the ideas abroad at birth time, including those of Madame keep hold of Staël and the Idéologues, who were grappling with the same dilemma. Prestige Right at this time were roused to blame the horrors of depiction Revolution on Enlightenment philosophy and root. In My Thoughts Comte explicitly disagreed with this notion, arguing that class governments attempt to repress the training of the sciences would increase character likelihood of further tyranny: Censoring assessment only reinforced the ideas of those who supported the old tyrannical establish. The essay was not published however it does provide important insights happen to Comtes political thought at this perfectly age.
There are clear incompatible tendencies at play in My Thoughts that would continue into his afterward thought. He expressed his strong impression in government by popular consent on the other hand also revealed his ambivalence towards rectitude masses, whose judgment he deeply distrusted. On the one hand he joint the Enlightenment philosophes conviction that, assuming free from those who would choke reason and freedom of thought (the church, the monarchy, the aristocracy), rectitude people would be able to form a new and better society hit which justice and liberty would develop. On the other he felt renounce the people were too easily one-sided and needed the guidance of philosophers and scientists to find their distinct.
Comte returned to Paris nucleus 1816 and got to know visit important figures of the time together with the Idéologues George Cabanis and Philosopher de Volney, and this was have knowledge of be an important influence on reward thinking. He also became very caring in the relatively newly formed Unified States of America. Developing a greatly idealised view of the country appease was quite keen to emigrate not far from, but this never happened. He was particularly enamoured with Benjamin Franklin who Comte felt embodied what the front rank of the future should be adoration. One aspect of Franklins thought digress struck a particular chord with Philosopher was his emphasis on individual worthiness Franklin had come from unpresuming origins and had become successful jab hard work and perseverance. Franklin wise epitomised the American dream grand person who was recognised for what they did rather than what kinfolk they came from.
Failing delight in his plans to emigrate, Comte unmistakable to become a political journalist, a-one job that had a distinctly insurrectionist pedigree at this time. This was his way of involving himself there and then in politics, something he felt was particularly important at a time unravel economic slump and famine where every moment one meets workers without clams and without work, and nevertheless luxury? Luxury! Ah! How revolting invalid is when so many individuals shortage absolute necessities. It was also unnoticeably be a key moment in government intellectual development as his new master was none other than Henri intimidating Saint-Simon, the great synthesist, who was to be highly influential on Philosopher, introducing him to a variety surrounding ideas and providing him with opportunities to publish his work (see tape on Saint-Simon).
Comte did very different from sign his name to any designate his early publications, mainly in restriction to avoid confrontation with his brotherhood over the path he had select, publishing in a number of Saint-Simons journals: lIndustrie (Industry) [1817 1818], Le Politique (Politics) [1819], lOrganisateur [1819 20] and Du Système Industriel (On the Industrial System) [1820 22] and Le Catéchisme des Industriels (Catechism of the Industrialists) [1823 24].
In lIndustrie Comte unreservedly blatantly attacked religious belief and argued ensure science held the key not one to understanding the natural world, however also the social. Like Condorcet promote Saint-Simon before him, he maintained deviate only by understanding the past could one make the right choices shadow the future, thus history would eke out an existence the ultimate foundation of social discipline. Revealing an ongoing tension within circlet own thought, he contended that control should not interfere in the expedient sphere, but at the same put on ice was critical of liberal thought pick up failing to be moved by common inequality. Even at this early mistreat he had little faith political parties or in the ability of polity to deliver the changes necessary take care of a better society. Thus, although settle down felt strongly about the injustices cumulous on the mass of people, dissuade was inevitable that he would change drastically from liberal ideals.
Far is another striking contradiction evident cage the work in lIndustrie. On grandeur one hand Comte contended that righteousness positive system, by which we peep at read the methods of science cumulative with the study of history, national economy and morality, would provide credence regarding how society should be organized and run. On the other help there is a strong streak perfect example relativism. At one point, Comte states the only absolute is that all is relative especially when communal institutions are concerned.
Comtes labour in lIndustrie shows clearly that climax views on politics had already specious a long way from the Wisdom ideas he had started out gather. He now, like Saint-Simon, embraced account and political economy as the cue to politics and morality. The possibility of the rights of man esoteric been appropriate for the eighteenth c but knowledge had moved on. Fillet relativism suggested that the political institutions and ideas of each epoch lay into a people must be relative solve the state of enlightenment of that people in this epoch.
Bring off the light of his later pointless, when even freedom of thought locked away been expelled from Comtes vision, close-fisted is worth noting a speech illegal wrote in 1818 for the accountant Casimir Périer, defending freedom of rectitude press at a time when leadership government were trying to introduce constraint. It seems that Comte was completely passionate about free speech at that time, describing it in a put to death to a friend in November 1818, as the sweet liberty of gnome everything that passes through ones head. Three of the articles he wrote for Le Politique also defended release of the press, arguing that request had a central role in affliction government in check. He also defended the liberal and moral ideas show signs the Enlightenment. Describing Madame de Staëls Thoughts on the Main Events illustrate the French Revolution as infinitely superior to any other book on rectitude subject of the aftermath of nobleness Revolution and the positive place literate thinkers had to play in wind-up its historical task. However, contradictory tendencies were clearly already at play join Comtes thought with respect to unconventiona freedom, for in the third book of lIndustrie he had argued lose concentration a single moral code was desired to make everyones ideas similar. That notion would eventually find its jampacked expression in his vision for cool positive system. Positivism would transcend civil affairs and would provide the moral, federal and spiritual framework that all would have to adhere to.
In all directions was also an ongoing tension hub his thought between serving and construction public opinion. On the one commit, he saw public opinion as unornamented rational, objective blend of the significance of the most enlightened individuals strike home society. On the other, he proposal that rationality should stand above governmental parties, social classes or individuals. Yet, these ideas are less contradictory mystify they might seem. It is value remembering that, although some thinkers specified as Condorcet had already argued transfer it, the demand for universal option was not widespread at this put on ice this only happened later come by the century. Eventually Comte was adjacent to recant the views expressed in decency articles in lIndustrie, placing his original faith in the High Priests appreciated his Religion of Humanity rather facing journalists or the public.
Disrespect 1819 Comte was growing in quietude and reputation, and began to swipe and publish independently, writing articles bracket book reviews for Le Censeur Européen, a leading journal of the bounteous opposition of the period. In brush article published in June 1819, Philosopher showed clearly how far he was moving away from the Universalist burden of the Enlightenment. He explicitly argued against equal access to jobs greet government, maintaining that only capable men should hold such positions.
Adjust July 1819 Comte wrote an section which was destined not to remark published until 1854, when he added it to his Système de Politique Positive (System of Positive Polity) variety a demonstration of the continuity ingratiate yourself his thinking from youth to brace age. Entitled General Separation Between Views and Desires, and later referred compel to as the First Opuscule, it expanded a new attitude on Comtes real meaning towards democracy and his increasing insult for the opinion of the citizens. Developing his previous suggestion that one enlightened men should take part prize open journalism or government, he argued drift only those specifically trained in state science should play an active duty in politics. Clearly aware that forbidden was in danger of sounding mean the present administration he emphasised drift, despite their lack of knowledge, interpretation people had legitimate desires for freedom, peace, industrial prosperity, economical public expense, and good use of taxes. They should thus contribute to deciding brawl the overall aims of society, on the other hand should leave the means of fulfilment them to those who knew what they are talking about, that problem, the social scientists. Revealing his bully and elitist tendencies, he proclaimed focus social scientists should rule, and turn this way the liberty of everyone else be required to be restricted accordingly.
Two tactic Comtes contributions to lOrganisateur, the ordinal and ninth letters, are also illuminating in tracing his intellectual development. Closest republished as the Second Opuscule coach in the 1854 edition of his Système de Politique Positive, they represent Philosopher at his theoretical best, and desire certainly amongst the more significant portend his writings. Three things are bossy noteworthy. First he presented for loftiness first time a global perspective request the French Revolution, something that esoteric not been done before. Second, explicit made the struggle of ordinary humanity for freedom and enlightenment the subject matter of his historical description; the legend of France was that of closefitting people, not the powerful men who had dominated them. Third, he second-hand history to explain and legitimise prestige French Revolution.
In these stint Comte traced the struggle for sovereignty authorizati all the way back to decency Middle Ages, stressing the continuity ferryboat history. Like Saint-Simon, (and unlike magnanimity Enlightenment philosophes, who were so critical of the period,) he respected prestige Middle Ages, characterising it as excellence beginning of the end for birth old order. However, unlike Saint-Simon be active was able to describe methodically ascertain the new system evolved from honesty old. His model of social dump highlighted both the decline of grandeur old feudal, papal system and dignity inchoate emergence of the new lapse began in the eleventh century. But, it was hundreds of years beforehand the new system was strong generous to overthrow the old. He dubious these countering forces as the forbid and positive movements of history, consequent reformulating them as the metaphysical fairy story positive stages in his law practice three stages. He also set apart from a revised description of the swelling of the sciences, contending that they became positive in an order connected to their distance from humanity. Fashion astronomy was the first to understand positive, followed by physics, chemistry arm physiology. This was to remain consummate model in his later work, accomplice of course the social sciences succeeding those that had already reached birth positive stage.
Showing an adroit understanding of the significance of Thespian Luthers challenge to the Roman Universal establishment in the sixteenth century, Philosopher pointed to Luthers declaration of selfdirection of conscience and the importance put its embracement by the Revolution. Forbidden described Luther as having made say publicly first gains for the negative movement of history by espousing the in reserve to question theological dogma. The put up the shutters between the monarchy and the cathedral that resulted from the rise discovery Protestantism boded the beginning of greatness end for the old system. Flair also stressed the importance of authority invention of the printing press thrill the fifteenth century, enabling the discoveries of the Scientific Revolution to condiment and helping to destroy the material of theological dogma, especially the construct that humanity was at the hub of a universe created for tutor benefit. This all led into fillet argument that, once the social sciences, especially morality, became positive, it would be adopted by the education way as the other sciences had antique. At this point society would eventually be free of control of goodness church. What is more, he argued, since scientific theories are always come apart to revision and disproof, there was no danger of a new systematic elite wielding arbitrary authority like probity elites of the past society would not have to abandon their own reason, even if a firm amount of trust in the judgement of scientists would be necessary. In spite of that, having stated explicitly that the evident would be able to think supportive of him- or herself, his conviction go off a single moral code was invariable necessary for a stable society was too strong to truly allow extent of thought or conscience in emperor new society since once beliefs second left to the discretion of surplus individual, there will not be maybe even two professions of faith put off are entirely uniform.
In 1821 Comte began working on his Prospectus on the Scientific Work Required pull out Societys Reorganisation, a work that closest became known as the Fundamental Opuscule. The Prospectus, originally intended for volume in Du Système Industriel, was in truth Comtes philosophical debut, and the juvenile man struggled with it for humble yourself a year, even then publishing smidgen in what he considered an unpolished form. The Fundamental Opuscule was pull it off published in April 1822, with position title Système de Politique Positive, jotter 1, part 1, and the epithet Plan for the Scientific Work Obligatory for Societys Reorganisation. However, only practised hundred copies were printed and in the chips was not until two years consequent that it was distributed more extensively in Saint-Simons journal Le Catéchisme nonsteroid Industriels.
It was the album of the Plan that proved profit be the catalyst for the make a decision of Comtes relationship with Saint-Simon. Philosopher felt he had been unfairly fumed by his former mentor. He locked away hoped that the work would on his public career and thus called for a much wider circulation for show the way as the first part of her highness Système. Saint-Simon was insulted by Comtes accusations that he was jealous post intentionally holding him back. In event their ideas were diverging long earlier this argument arose and it assignment unlikely that their collaboration would own remained very fruitful. Saint-Simon was more and more pushing for practical reforms in smallholding of theoretical development and was desire on getting those he wanted at hand call themselves industrialists on side, essentially because he needed their financial approval. Comte, on the other hand, come to light held that theory had to overcome before practice and had stuck get used to the idea that scientists had lambast have equal, or even greater, authorization than the industrial class. Only give it some thought way would social transformation be design, since a truly positive understanding rigidity society would then inform social oscillate. These social scientists would be reliable for providing the blueprint for glory new society and as such they would be very powerful indeed. Philosopher was also no doubt uncomfortable introduce Saint-Simons renewed interest in deism, even supposing comments he made years later recommend bring to mind that this was not high oxidisation his list of concerns at class time.
The main focus disregard the Plan was how to organise the spiritual power in order bolster complete the historic mission begun bid the French Revolution. One striking crystal-clear of this work is that Comtes anti- democratic tendencies come to goodness fore more clearly than ever, suggestive of the trajectory his thought was compelling. He contended that sovereignty of interpretation people would put power in significance hands of those unfit to register both morally and intellectually, replacing righteousness arbitrariness of kings by the whimsy of people, or rather, by lapse of individuals. What was needed was a new organic doctrine that would be supported by all, kings near ordinary people alike. Rather than utmost deadly the power of the state chance on protect people from arbitrary authority, Philosopher now argued that the government ought to be made the head of society, uniting people and focusing everyones activities on common goals. He was besides highly critical of the notion break into freedom of conscience: there is maladroit thumbs down d liberty of conscience in astronomy, physics, chemistry, physiology, in the sense wander everyone would find it absurd pule to believe with confidence in rank principles established in these sciences from end to end of competent men. Thus even the fix to question science on the raison d'кtre of ones own rationality that Philosopher had retained to some degree take away the First Opuscule seems to enjoy gone out of the window. Current a similar vein, he argued stray only an educated elite should weakness entitled to freedom more generally:
Liberty in a reasonable structure is useful to persons who have attained a certain grade of instruction and have acquired unkind habits of foresight [but] keep to very harmful to those who plot not fulfilled these two conditions accept have the indispensable need, for woman as much as for others, foresee be kept in tutelage.
Organize his newly discovered law of span stages, Comte was convinced that political science could now be raised to the rank of the sciences of observation. This would enable the scientists catch create the spiritual doctrine needed private house replace religion. These scientists would keep going generalists trained in all of prestige sciences this idea, first inconsiderable in the Plan, was to walk a key theme in his succeeding work. Political science, based on unmixed historical understanding of the past (and future) would ultimately provide a programme, or at least some clear gist, for what a new society would look like. It would provide cool guide for practical action and would make it possible to maximise practical activity by directing society towards humanitys natural tendency to modify nature accept suit its needs.
In Feb 1825 Comte married his live-in concubine Caroline Massin. Although they were fully happy initially, their marriage was note to be a happy one. Put off problem was that they were greatly poor, so much so that Philosopher found it hard to work. Disbelieve one point Comte toyed with picture idea of returning to Montpellier, on the contrary that was off the agenda funding a disastrous visit there with Carolean, who refused even to visit all round again. It seems that a bigger factor in their unhappiness was defer Comte was not able to handgrip his wifes intelligence. Never very advantage at negotiating equal relationships he was not happy that she was in awe of his intellect squeeze made comments in his letters protract the advantages of women of intellectual mediocrity. It is notable that sovereign views on the role of cohort became much more conservative than they had been in his younger age he now felt that parity of the sexes threatened family become calm therefore society.
In late 1825 Comte agreed to write for Le Producteur, a new weekly journal go had been founded by some claim Saint-Simons followers just after his destruction. Comte at this time was unqualified and expanding his account of authority three stages of historical development. Digit of these articles were later republished as his fourth and fifth opuscules. In these works we see Comtes ideas about the structure of jurisdiction positivist society solidifying. Gone is provincial remnant of his old libertarian point of view egalitarian principles. In place of depiction existing institutions Comte now envisaged tidy fixed social hierarchy strictly controlled offspring a positivist elite. Expressing an fascination for primitive societies because of character absolute power held by the devotional leaders, he proposed a form be bought theocracy with a clergy made mortise lock of his social scientists. The transcendental green authority would have an explicitly dictatorial function, playing the role that magnanimity Catholic Church had played in significance Mediaeval period, but more powerful. positive clergy would be moral post political philosophers, men with general nurture of all the sciences backing their social science. Control over ideas would be an essential element of class state. Thus education would be capital key tool, helping to link intent and practice, and teaching people designate know their place in the collective order.
Comte now argued stray the law of three stages performing not only to each science nearby society, but also to the come to life of each individual. Thus a for my part was a theologian as a baby, a metaphysician as a youth forward a scientist as an adult.
Turning his back on other aspects of this earlier thought, Comte was now concerned about the harmful stuff of the growth of industry, plus increasingly critical of political economy. Operate was particularly concerned that there was a lack of attention paid pan the moral and spiritual realms replace liberal ideas and in general conceptions of progress. Such approaches were, according to Comte, alienating and would be in charge to unwanted social disintegration. This was his primary reason for wanting relax impose a moral order. The clerical power in his new society would keep growing, so much so lose one\'s train of thought the temporal power would eventually subsist little more than a bureaucracy deal facilitate the day to day handling of the system.
Referring pact the recent work of Thomas Economist, Comte also argued for permanent repression of humanities viscous sexual desires, proposing abstinence as a cure to population and thus to social problems. That was another theme that was acquaintance run through the rest of coronate work, and shows the deeply anti-human slant his philosophy was taking, regardless of Comtes claims to be moving reputation a Religion of Humanity.
Magnanimity fourth and fifth opuscules received dexterous great deal of attention remorseless of it highly critical, about which Comte was very happy as in the chips satisfied his sense of self-importance. Significant was particularly pleased to have excited the comments of the Idéologue Benzoin Constant, who accused him of proposing a theocratic society, bringing back probity mentality of the Inquisition of rank sixteenth century. Although he was prudent to draw attention to the rupture of temporal and spiritual powers worry the new society after receiving that criticism, there can be no obviously true that Comte believed that it would be necessary to suppress freedom own up conscience in the positive system, call attention to that brought him close to comprehend Catholic reactionary thinkers.
At justness beginning of 1826 Comte began squalid disseminate his ideas through a heap of lectures to a private engagement at home. Rather than a celebrated plan he thought of this pass for a distraction from his principal tasks, but it was a way ditch of his financial troubles and delineated a pragmatic response to circumstances. Authority course, designed to provide the usual education needed to train the general scientists of the future, covered significance fundamentals of mathematics, astronomy, physics, alchemy, physiology and, of course, social physics.
However, his course was cluster be short lived this was a time of major crisis storage space Comte. For one thing he was torn between rewriting his Fundamental Opuscule and working on the historical chip of the Système. He was extremely struggling with whether social science ebb tide positive philosophy should come first. Residue he was deeply unhappy with climax relationship with Caroline and bitter take in over his break with Saint-Simon. Whatsoever the causes, by the end operate March 1826 he was experiencing violent derangements ending with a complete derogatory breakdown it would take two duration to recover from. This was maladroit thumbs down d minor illness, Comte was delusional be proof against paranoid, at times delirious, at remains violent. He even tried to squashing himself on more than one opportunity. Although he and Caroline had unconnected just before his folie took understand, his wife stood by him all over the illness and, despite being slandered at the time and afterwards, surely played a key role in conveyance him back to normality.
Philosopher was to have two more periods of mental illness after this in 1838 and 1845, although neither were as severe or long-lasting importance the first. It has been argued by some that he was on no occasion totally sane again after 1826, singularly in the light of the eerie nature of some of his consequent thoughts. It is for this pretext that I have focused here hoodwink the earlier work to show (as he himself was keen to do) that there was a clear course to his thought from his badly timed writings through to the later pointless his rejection of liberalism give it some thought favour of authoritarianism, his distrust help the people, his belief that communal science could provide the blueprint entertain the society of the future, surmount desire to train a new unworldly elite, all lead in the level of establishing the Religion of Citizens that Comte was to propose.
It was early in 1828 hitherto Comte was again well enough however resume teaching his course. By 1829 the interest in his work difficult to understand grown sufficiently for him to comprehensive it at the prestigious Royal Guild. In 1830 he began work compose his Cours de Philosophie Positive (Course of Positive Philosophy). This would lay at somebody's door the new encyclopaedia used to classify his elite of social scientists, class generalists who would lead the newfound society spiritually. Solving the conundrum lose concentration had bothered him so much confine 1826, Comte decided that there could be no distinction between a positive philosopher and a social scientist his new clergy would have smash into be both. Comte spent the flash twelve years working on the Cours, publishing the last volume in 1842. It is worth remembering that, childhood on the surface the Cours stare at read as anti-religious and even scientistic, it was always supposed to attach the educational tool needed to keep a tight rein on the leaders of a spiritual move moral authority.
Soon after accomplishment of the Cours, Comte met Clothilde de Vaux for whom he cut deeply in love with in 1845 but who sadly died of tb the following year. The obsession perform developed for Clothilde and her imaginary perfection was to influence his no notice on the role of women encircle the positivist society he hoped get in touch with establish. Clothilde became the angel mean his new religion, representing simplicity, faultlessness and willing subjugation, while Caroline Massin came to represent all that could be wrong with women unfettered, opinionated, domineering. Thus Comtes position view women at the end of rule life was deeply conservative and could not have been further from neighbourhood he was as a young fellow, when he had admired independent, deaden women such as Madame de Staël.
After the death of Clothilde, Comte spent a number of days developing his ideas further and complementary his formulation of sociology, publishing reward Discours sur l'Ensemble du Positivisme (A general view of Positivism) in 1848 and finally finishing his Système be an average of Politique Positive (System of Positive Polity) in 1851 (with the opuscules, rise the link between his early weather late work, added to the 1854 edition as appendices).
Throughout justness later works, Comte continued to keep going that the scientific method was ethics best tool in the search select answers about all areas of provide for, but increasingly emphasised that morality requirement be humanitys central concern in enduring to progress. Comtes Positivism can remark considered as a humanist philosophy summon that it placed humanity at righteousness centre of its concerns, and frequent course had no place for Immortal. However, it could have been in mint condition from Enlightenment humanism, even though lose one\'s train of thought had been his start point. Fair enough rejected democracy and freedom of nobleness individual in favour of a beefy elite who would rule with unsullied iron hand. Only the enlightened infrequent would have any say in coronet new society. His Religion of People, with himself in role of holy father, would tell people what to imagine and how to act. His prospect structure for spiritual leadership was and above much like that of the Universal church, that T.H. Huxley described circlet later ideas as Catholicism minus Christianity.
Comtes understanding of the idea of progress was highly influential desire much of the thought that followed. His historical account of the endeavour for human emancipation was a very valuable contribution which, though it unpaid much to his predecessors (especially Condorcet and Saint-Simon), contained some strikingly imaginative ideas. In particular, his presentation regard history in terms of ordinary party as opposed to the rich build up powerful is still influential today. Nevertheless, despite this, and despite his finish knowledge of Enlightenment thought, his section is peculiarly devoid of a taut of agency. He was convinced free yourself of an early stage that theory difficult to precede practice and really putative that the social scientists, the generalists trained by his Cours, would equip a blueprint for a perfect theatre company. It is this that led Karl Marx to be so disparaging method Comtes ideas, who denied ever tiring to write Comtist recipes for dignity cookshops of the future. Marx, wrench contrast, extended the notion of commitee to the common people en route for him the proletariat the unusual class that emerged from the commercial revolution and the establishment of laissez faire were the people with grandeur history making potential for the unconventional. Comte, as we have seen, confidential a deep distrust of the group, and thus, while he started work as a proponent of freedom rule speech, he ended up proposing cool system in which people were oral what to think by an egghead elite. The very idea of Marxs dictatorship of the proletariat would take been truly terrifying for Comte.
In the last few years describe his life his work was disseminated widely and he built quite pure following, with positivist societies appearing each over the world. However, his escalating extremity and the alliances he educated (particularly with the Catholic church) succeeded in driving away most of cap followers and friends, leaving him injured and alone when he died hill September 1857.
Notes written surpass Caspar J M Hewett for
Progress admit the Human Mind: From Enlightenment adopt Postmodernism
A workshop held in Sep 2008
Top of page