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Unit-4: Law of Three Stages

a scientific position here. At such times it would be helpful to take the help of metaphysical thoughts notes
like” ”meeting and parting, happiness sorrow are emotions one has to face in this world.” Or he can
console himself by coming to this conclusion on a religious basis whatever god does, he does for
our good. ‘Therefore it is clear that the above mentioned three stages of human knowledge or mind
can be found simultaneously in the same mind or same society. Comte has laid maximum stress on
never forgetting this truth as he states that in forgetting this truth * this great law of the three stages,
it becomes objectionable and liable to criticism, otherwise never. In 1839 Comte wrote in connection
with this rule, “After thinking-discussing this from all angles; and after examining it in every way;
seventeen years of in depth thinking on this great subject; has given me the right to announce without
any scientific hesitation, that we shall always find this historical belief to be complete and steady.
Like any ordinary fact from other disciplines of natural philosophies are accepted only after proven
evidence, now this belief seems to have been fully proved.”

Task Why is Comte’s theory of the three states of evolution called a linear theory?

4.2 summary

y Comte explained the system of social change in confirmed steps, from simplification to
complexity and in a straight line.
y Comte interpreted social transformation according to the intellectual development of
humanity.
y According to Comte, social change occurs according to the intellectual development of humans
in the three given below.
y The steps of intellectual development are listed below –
1. Religious/Theological State
2. Metaphysical State
3. Scientific State.

4.3 Keywords
4. evolution : This activity of change/transformation/growth is known by the name of
evolution, in which every changed state is necessarily related to the state that precedes it.
In this, growth, expansion development, and continuaty are the three events in proximate
to each other.

4.4 review Questions

1. Explain the rule of three stages of August Comte.
2. Write the names of Comte’s three main texts.

answers : self assessment

1. Intellectual development

LoVeLY professionaL uniVersitY 19