Born: 19 January 1798 · Died: 5 September 1857 · Age at death: 59
How old was Auguste Comte when he died?
Auguste Comte died aged 59. He was born on 19 January 1798 and died on 5 September 1857.
French philosopher who founded positivism and coined the word sociology for the scientific study of society
Did you know?He created a secular 'Religion of Humanity' that replaced traditional saints with historical figures from the worlds of art and science.
Quick facts
Date of birth19 January 1798
Date of death5 September 1857
Age at death59
Cause of deathStomach cancer
NationalityFrench
BirthplaceMontpellier, France
Occupationrepetitor, philosopher, sociologist
Editor's Take:
Auguste Comte wanted to study society the way scientists study nature. He coined the word "sociology" for this new science. His philosophy, called positivism, held that real knowledge comes from observation and evidence. He believed humanity passes through three stages: religious, philosophical and scientific. Late in life he founded a "Religion of Humanity" with its own calendar of saints. His ideas shaped modern social science. Brazil's flag still carries his motto, Order and Progress.
Key Milestones
1817: Saint-Simon – secretary
1830: Positive Philosophy – first volume
1838: Sociology – term coined
1851: System of Positive Polity – work
Isidore Auguste Marie François Xavier Comte (French:; 19 January 1798 – 5 September 1857) was a French philosopher and writer who formulated the doctrine of positivism. He is often regarded as the first philosopher of science in the modern sense of the term.
