Sociology's formal beginnings can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. While the precise starting point is debatable, key moments include the coining of the term "sociology" and the development of foundational sociological theories.
Key Figures and Events
The genesis of sociology can be understood through these milestones:
- 1780: The term "sociology" was first coined by French essayist Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès in an unpublished manuscript. While he introduced the word, his work didn't have the impact of later sociologists.
- 1838: Auguste Comte reintroduced and popularized the term "sociology." He is often credited as the "father of sociology" because he envisioned a scientific approach to studying society and proposed a positivist sociology.
Summary
Therefore, while the term sociology appeared in 1780, sociology as a distinct scientific discipline began to take shape in the late 1830s with the work of Auguste Comte. Comte's efforts to establish a scientific framework for understanding society laid the groundwork for the development of the field.
