What is Comte's Law of Three Stages?
The Law of Three Stages is the foundational principle of my philosophy. It posits that human understanding and knowledge, as well as the organization of society, inevitably progress through three distinct phases. First, the theological stage, where phenomena are explained by supernatural agencies. Second, the metaphysical stage, where abstract forces replace deities. Finally, the positive or scientific stage, where explanations rely on observable facts and the discovery of invariable laws governing phenomena.
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