<P> The term ("sociologie") was first coined by the French essayist Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès (1748--1836), from the Latin: socius, "companion"; and the suffix - ology, "the study of", from Greek λόγος, lógos, "knowledge". In 1838, the French - thinker Auguste Comte (1798--1857) ultimately gave sociology the definition that it holds today . Comte had earlier expressed his work as "social physics", but that term had been appropriated by others, such as Belgian statistician Adolphe Quetelet (1796--1874). </P> <P> Saint - Simon published Physiologie sociale in 1813 and devoted much of his time to the prospect that human society could be steered toward progress if scientists would form an international assembly to influence its course . He argued that scientists could distract groups from war and strife, by focusing their attention to generally improving their societies living conditions . In turn, this would bring multiple cultures and societies together and prevent conflict . Saint - Simon took the idea that everyone had encouraged from the Enlightenment, which was the belief in science, and spun it to be more practical and hands - on for the society . Saint - Simon's main idea was that industrialism would create a new launch in history . He saw that people had been seeing progress as an approach for science, but he wanted them to see it as an approach to all aspects of life . Society was making a crucial change at the time since it was growing out of a declining feudalism . This new path could provide the basis for solving all the old problems society had previously encountered . He was more concerned with the participation of man in the workforce instead of which workforce man choose . His slogan became "All men must work" and from this, the slogan of communism was evolved "Each according to his capacity ." </P> <P> Writing after the original enlightenment and influenced by the work of Saint - Simon, political philosopher of social contract, Auguste Comte hoped to unify all studies of humankind through the scientific understanding of the social realm . His own sociological scheme was typical of the 19th century humanists; he believed all human life passed through distinct historical stages and that, if one could grasp this progress, one could prescribe the remedies for social ills . Sociology was to be the "queen science" in Comte's schema; all basic physical sciences had to arrive first, leading to the most fundamentally difficult science of human society itself . Comte has thus come to be viewed as the "Father of Sociology". Comte delineated his broader philosophy of science in The Course in Positive Philosophy (1830--1842), whereas his A General View of Positivism (1865) emphasized the particular goals of sociology . </P> <P> Auguste Comte was so impressed with his theory of positivism that he referred to it as "the great discovery of the year 1822 ." Comte's system is based on the principles of knowledge, as seen in 3 states . This law states any kind of knowledge always begins in theological form . Here the knowledge can be explained by a superior supernatural power such as animism, spirits, or gods . It then passes to the metaphysical form where the knowledge is explained by abstract philosophical speculation . Finally, the knowledge becomes positive after being explained scientifically through observation, experiment, and comparison . The order of the laws was created in order of increasing difficulty . Comte's description of the development of society is parallel to Karl Marx's own theory historical progression from capitalism to communism . They both were influenced by various Utopian - socialist thinkers of the day and agreed that some form of communism would be the climax of societal development . </P>

When did sociology first take root in the united states