Page 28 - DSOC401_SOCIOLOGICAL_THOUGHT_ENGLISH

Sociological Thought

notes this book was to search for a solid scientific foundation for his new science, ‘Sociology’ which would
clearly show its study–parameters and its relationship to the natural sciences.

two basis or principles of Hierarcy

For the above mentioned objectives. Comte presented a new classification or hierarchy that was based
on ascent–descent basis, and for this he fixed tow basic principles.
1. The Principle of the order of increasing dependence.
2. The Principle of decreasing generality and increasing complexity.
1. the principle of the order of increasing dependence—To create a classification or hierarchy of
sciences, Comte chose the theory of the order of the increasing dependence. In other words, according
to Comte’s thinking, every branch of knowledge or science is dependent on the theories expounded
on the sciences that come below it on the table. The result of this dependence is such that, as we move
higher on this table of hierarchy, the branches science or knowledge become more and more dependent
on the disciplines mentioned lower than them. According to this theory, the first mentioned science
is not dependent on any other – it is competely science will be developed by the dependence and
help of the 1 mentioned science; the third science will be dependent on both the second and first,
st
the 4 mentioned will be dependent on the 1 , 2 and third sciences; and is this order increases so
st
nd
th
will the dependence increase of the branches mentioned. As a result Comte has named this theory
of science classification as ‘The Principle of increasing dependence.’ Further discussion will clarify
the theory more.
2. the principle of decreasing generality and increasing complexity–According to Comte, the
development of sciences take place in a decided order, which is the order of ‘decreasing, generality
and increasing complexity.’ In other words, as new sciences are born, so too the study–field of that
science becomes less generalized and more complex. In Comte’s classification of sciences, a science
is placed in the hierarchy according to its study field and its dependence on other sciences. The more
specialized and complex the study–matter of a science disciple, the more dependent it will become on
the sciences that come before it in the order. This happens because simple, general events take place
first and their study too is easy. In this way it can be said that the first science is that which studies
simple generalized events, and the event which is the purest is also the most generalized – the general
meaning is that it exists at every level and place. Therefore the first science is the most generalized and
related to the least complex of events and subjects. The other sciences were developed only after this
1 science and their subject–matter kept becoming more complex and less generalized. The second
st
science will be related to more complex subject–matter than the first, and the third, will be related
to less generalized and more complex subject. And this order will go on in the development of the
sciences the study subject of every science becomes more complex as, we go higher in this order, due
to which science is mostly dependent and based on the researches conclusions and theories of the
science that are before it in the order. In other words their dependency increases. In this way every
science, while being based on the earlier sciences, also presents a base for the sciences that come
after it. Further according to the views of Comte, every science is not only dependent on its earlier
predecessors, but also nurtures their expansion by its research.

Hierarchy or Classification of Sciences

According to the principles given above, Comte has presented a hierarchy of the sciences as listed
below :
1. Mathematics,
2. Astronomy,

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