August Comte’s theory of development of human intellect. Detailed in his seminal Cours de Philosophie Positive (The Course in Positive Philosophy)
The three stages:
1. Theological
supernatural or divine powers; personified deities fetishism/animism → polytheism → monotheism
2. Metaphysical
extension of the theological stage abstract forces govern our world
3. Positivist
scientific, rational
extra: Charles Darwin thought it was a great idea! M. Comte’s idea of a theological state of science [is a] grand idea. 1
Footnotes
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Notebook N (Metaphysics and Expression). Charles Darwin. Journal’s timespan: fall 1838—summer 1839. page[leaf] 12 ↩