ABSTRACT
The elements in the sociology of Comte put forward as his most essential beliefs, derive in fact from Henri De Saint-Simon, whose secretary Comte was for some time. For example, Saint-Simon demanded essentially that science should be distinguished from its application, that the various branches of knowledge should be classified according to their inner complexity, and that the summit of this hierarchy should be a science yet to be created, namely political science: 'science politique' or 'physique sociale'. Comte took over these terms, using them as synonymous with the word 'sociology'. This crowning science was to be based on deductions made from the observation of history, and to be inspired by idea of development and progress. Spencer's philosophic system embraces a cosmology, biology, psychology, and ethics. His Principles of Sociology comes between psychology and ethics and his interpretation of religion as having developed from fear of the dead and other phenomena, has also come to be regarded as too rationalistic.
