Final answer:
Auguste Comte, a French philosopher, placed sociology at the top of the scientific hierarchy, regarding its practitioners as 'scientist-priests'. His positivist approach to sociology as a science aimed to uncover societal laws to help address issues and improve society.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Auguste Comte's hierarchy of the sciences, sociology was considered the "queen," and its practitioners envisioned as "scientist-priests." Comte, a French philosopher, is credited with coining the term sociology and is known for applying the scientific methods used in the natural sciences to the study of society. This approach led him to suggest that sociology could determine the laws governing society and help address societal issues like poor education and poverty.
Comte’s ideas were influential in shaping the development of sociology as an academic discipline, positioning it as a critical field within the social sciences alongside others like psychology and history. The term 'scientist-priests' metaphorically refers to the role these sociologists were believed to have: they were seen as guides or leaders ('priests') in the realm of social knowledge and improvement, driven by their scientific inquiry ('scientists').