Page 24 - DSOC401_SOCIOLOGICAL_THOUGHT_ENGLISH

Sociological Thought

notes deepen, so too the faith in monotheism becomes clearer and determined. Monotheism is the acme of
the theological stage.

self assessment
Fill in the blanks –
1. After studying human _______in all societies and all ages this fundamental rule is
discovered.
2. All our main beliefs, every branch of our knowledge, have to pass through the state of these
three _______, one after the other.
3. Those start study of ___________ sequence and similarity.

2. metaphysical stage : At this stage the belief in the individual power of god is diminished. God is
thought of not as a personified form but as an abstract force. Whatever is happening in the world is
not more abscribed to the form of a single god, but is attributed to an abstract formless force (person),
is the existence of this power. But this force is not resultant from any special person or body. Whatever
is happening due to this abstract, formless force it is eternal and complete in itself. The special qualities
of this stage lies between the Theological and Scientific/Positive Metaphysical Stage.
3. Scientific or Positive Stage : Thinking itself can be complete and eternal, but cannot be based on real
reason, logic and facts. When a person leaves behind metaphysical thinking, and tries to understand
and define this world and its events on the basis of observation and reasoning then he enters the
scientific or positive stage. Comte claims that the formative mixture of observation and reasoning is
the foundation of true knowledge. When we describe an event, we try to find the relationship between
the ordinary facts and that particular events. This relationship of cause and effect can only become
fact through observation. Observation is the evidence, for it is real, not imaginative. According to
Comte, to understand the different facts and events of this world, the true and dependable method
is observation and classification. In this scientific stage, man does not make imaginary castles, nor
tries to give a metaphoric interpretation to the various facts of this world. At this stage the collection
of knowledge is his one and only end to his objectives.

Did You Know? Positive Philosophy, Positive Polity, System and Positive Polity are the
main texts of Comte.

Defining the above mentioned three steps of human–knowledge and thinking. Comte does not forget
this truth at these three steps cannot have an existence, isolated from each other. In other words, these
three stages though completely different, follow one after the other, may not be completely correct
thinking. It may happen that they may exist in a society or a mind simultaneously. On religious matters,
we can be in a religious stage; in relation to the ideals of life, in the metaphysical stage, and in matters
of life–resources, we can be in the scientific stage. An unique mixture of these three stages is seen in
Indian Society. For example, the hindu–marriage, even today is in the religious stage and Hindus
respect marriage as religious sacramental institution. Gandhi’s Satyagraha, ahimsa (non - violence)
and allah–ishwar ek hi naam’ (allah and ishwar are one) are primarily phylosophical; when the Indian
five year plans convey the positive or scientific stage. Therefore the three stages of human thinking
or knowledge are not isolated from each other. This concept of Comte’s can be clarified with another
example. Take, the example of a scientist, who holds scientific view and trusts science on all subject.
But suppose he only son dies, then it is possible that he would not be able to console himself by taking

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