Auguste Comte Quotes on Knowledge
Auguste Comte was a French philosopher and one of the founders of sociology, a term he coined. This page collects quotes attributed to Auguste Comte on the topic of knowledge, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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“To understand a science it is necessary to know its history.”
A Course of Positive Philosophy (1832 - 1842) [Six volumes] -
Attributed to Auguste Comte:
“Know yourself to improve yourself.”
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Attributed to Auguste Comte:
“Theories must be based upon facts, just as facts can be observed and arranged only by means of theories.”
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“A Course of Positive Philosophy (1832 - 1842) [Six volumes]”
To understand a science it is necessary to know its history . -
“Le Catéchisme positiviste (1852)”
The dead govern the living . -
“Le Catéchisme positiviste (1852)”
Social positivism only accepts duties , for all and towards all. Its constant social viewpoint cannot include any notion of rights, for such notion always rests on individuality . We are born under a load of obligations of every kind, to our predecessors, to our successors, to our contemporaries. These obligations then increase or accumulate, for it is some time before we can return any service. … -
“As quoted in A Dictionary of Scientific Quotations (1991) by Alan Lindsay Mackay”
Men are not allowed to think freely about chemistry and biology: why should they be allowed to think freely about political philosophy ? -
“As quoted in A Dictionary of Scientific Quotations (1991) by Alan Lindsay Mackay”
Foreknowledge is power .