Who is considered the father of sociology?

Auguste Comte is recognized as the father of sociology because he was the first to coin the term "sociology" in the early 19th century and laid the groundwork for the discipline. Comte believed that society functions through various social laws, which could be understood using scientific methods—an approach that greatly influenced the way social sciences developed. He proposed a systematic study of society that focused on social order and social change, emphasizing the need for a scientific basis for sociology distinct from other forms of inquiry.

His work established foundational concepts in sociology, such as the idea of studying society through observation and experimentation, and he argued that sociology should be the central science that could unify knowledge across different fields. This perspective shaped how later sociologists approached their studies and influenced the development of the discipline as a whole.