Major Points:
The discipline of sociology has only existed for approximately 180 years. It is considered the new kid on the block.
Auguste Comte (1798-1857), challenged this idea and stated that society could be studied using the same scientific methods in natural sciences, such as physics, chemistry, and biology.
He established the term positivism – authentic and valid knowledge of the social world is found only through scientific and empirical pursuit.
omte believed that by using scientific methods to analyze society, sociologists could provide solutions to social problems, such as crime and poverty, that resulted from the Industrial Revolution in Western Europe.