Final answer:
Auguste Comte developed sociology motivated by the aspiration for societal progress, proposing the law of three stages of societal development, and advocating for positivism, which informed the empirical study of society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Auguste Comte was motivated to develop the discipline of sociology to advance society towards a peaceful state, especially after witnessing the tumult of political revolutions in his youth. Comte's contribution to social theory involves his analysis of the scientific developments of his time and the proposal of the societal evolution known as the law of three stages. These stages are as follows:
- The theological stage, where supernatural explanations predominated.
- The metaphysical stage, acknowledging natural forces and human intervention alongside supernatural beliefs.
- The positive stage, focusing on scientific understanding and the rejection of non-empirical explanations.
This advancement of society through stages culminates in positivism, the philosophical view that information derived from logical and mathematical treatments and reports of sensory experience is the exclusive source of all authoritative knowledge, rejecting metaphysics and theology. Comte believed that using scientific methods to study societal patterns could lead to improvements in issues like education and poverty. This formed the basis of sociology, which he envisioned as an empirical science of society to promote human progress.
Comte's ideas gained practicality when sociology was established as a formal discipline in the United States, influenced by intellectuals like W. E. B. Du Bois. These developments proved seminal to the systematic and scientific study of societies, informing policies and programs for governments and institutions.