COMTE, AUGUSTE, the founder of the positive philosophy, was b. at Montpellier in 1795 or 1797. He studied at Paris; and at an early period, it is said, attracted the attention of his companions by the boldness and novelty of his speculations, maintain ing that the time was come when philosophy must undergo another great change, such as it had done in the days of Bacon. G. II. Lewes, who regarded C. as the Bacon of the 19th c., only much greater, informs us that C. was but fourteen, when " the reform ing spirit awoke" in him (see Exposition cf the Principles of the Positive Philosophy, by G..11. Lewes, Bohn, London, 1853). Shortly after this, and while still laboring under the excitement of 1,:s new convictions, he became acquainted with St. Simon; entered enthusiastically into his theories, which had not a little in common with his own, and which possessed in addition this advantage, that they were the results of matured thinking (St. Simon being then between 50 and 60); and in 1820, was appointed by the master himself to prepare an e::position of the Politique Positive of the St. Simonian society. The work did not satisfy St. Simon, who deplored the absence of the " relig ious and sentimental aspects" of his system. In 1825, on the death of St. Simon, C. broke off altogether from his confreres, and in after-years, was accustomed to speak slightingly of his old master's abilities. In 1826, C. was attacked by a cerebral disorder, brought on by "overwork and heart-anxieties." He recovered, however, and in 1832, was appointed professor of mathematics at the Eeole Polytechnigue, which situation be was forced to resign in 1852, on account of differences with his colleagues. He died at Paris, Sept., 1S57.
C.'s works are Cours de Philosophie Positive (6 volt, Par. 1S30-42; freely translated into English and condensed by Harriet Martineau. 2 vols., 1853); Traite Elementaire de Geometrie Analytique (1843); Traite d'Astronomie Populaire (1845); Discours sur l'En semble du Positivisme (1848); A`.gysteme de Politigue Positive (4 vols., 1851-54; Eng. trans.,
1875, et seq., Longmans); and Uatichisme Positiviste, ou Sommaire Exposition de la Religion Universelle (1 vol., Par. 1852). It is impossible here to do more than state, in the brief est way, C.'s central and governing doctrine. It is this: The race (like the individual) necessarily passes through three intellectual stages-1. The theological, in which a super natural origin is sought for all phenomena, and the Deus ex machind is the only expla nation of events; 2. The metaphysical, in which the sensuously supernatural is set aside as incredible, and an effort is made to demonstrate the existence of " abstract forces or entities supposed to inhere in various substances, and capable of engendering phenom ena;" 3. The positive, in which the mind affirms the futility both of theological and metaphysical inquiries, abandons all vain search after the causes and essences of things, "restricts itself to the observation and classification of phenomena, and to the discovery of the invariable relations of succession and similitude which things bear to each other; in a word, to the discovery of the laws of phenomena." This last is the stage at which C. conceives Europe to have arrived. Theology and metaphysics are alleged to be in their dotage, and all the anarchy of modern life to arise from the presence of these dis turbing elements. To deliver us from their hurtful influence, C. employs the principles of positivism to organize a new social doctrine, which shall embrace the entire wants of man as an intellectual and emotional being. C. thus aims at being not only the founder of a new philosophy, but also of a new religion, and has even assumed the title of l'ondateur de la Religion de l'liamanite. His views, which are very original and com prehensive, have excited much attention among thinkers iu France, England, and Ger many, and obtained not a few ardent adherents.