August 2025 Edition
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August 2025 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions
Top national & international current affairs questions for CSS, PMS, FPSC, PPSC, and NTS screening tests.
#1921
What does Auguste Comte’s concept of 'positivism' entail?
(a) a theory that emphasizes the positive aspects of society
(b) an unscientific set of laws about social progress
(c) a theory that posits difficult questions and sets out to answer them
(d) the precise, scientific study of observable phenomena
Explanation: Auguste Comte, the founder of sociology, introduced 'positivism' to describe a scientific approach to studying society. He argued that sociology should be a 'positive science' based on empirical observation, the identification of causal relationships, and the formulation of theoretical laws. This methodology emphasizes objectivity and rational analysis, mirroring the methods used in the natural sciences to predict social events and understand human behavior.
#1922
According to Auguste Comte's 'Law of Three Stages,' what is the second stage of societal development?
(a) Positive stage
(b) Meta-physical stage
(c) Theological stage
(d) Evolutionary stage
Explanation: Auguste Comte proposed that human knowledge and society evolve through three stages: the theological stage (explaining phenomena via supernatural beings), the metaphysical stage (explaining phenomena via abstract forces or essences), and the positive stage (explaining phenomena via scientific observation and empirical evidence).
#1923
What is the specific name of the sociological perspective pioneered by Auguste Comte?
(a) Positivism
(b) Interpretivism
(c) Phenomenology
(d) Constructionism
Explanation: Auguste Comte is credited with coining the term 'sociology' and establishing 'Positivism' as the foundational methodology for the discipline. Positivism asserts that the social world can be studied using the same rigorous scientific methods as the natural sciences, focusing on empirical observation, experimentation, and the discovery of universal laws governing social phenomena.
#1924
According to Auguste Comte's law of three stages, what is the initial stage of societal development?
(a) Metaphysical
(b) Scientific stage
(c) None of these
(d) Theological
Explanation: Auguste Comte, the founder of positivism, proposed that human knowledge and society evolve through three stages. The first is the theological stage, where phenomena are explained by supernatural forces. This is followed by the metaphysical stage, characterized by abstract philosophical reasoning, and finally the scientific or positive stage, based on empirical observation.
#1925
According to Auguste Comte's Law of Three Stages, which stage represents the final phase of societal development?
(a) Last Phase
(b) First phase
(c) None of these
(d) Second Phase
Explanation: Auguste Comte proposed that human knowledge and society evolve through three stages: the theological (first), the metaphysical (second), and the scientific or positive (last). The positive stage is characterized by the use of observation, experimentation, and scientific reasoning to understand the world, marking the culmination of intellectual and social progress.
#1926
What is the final stage of societal development as defined by Auguste Comte?
(a) Theological stage
(b) None of these
(c) Scientific Stage
(d) Metaphysical Stage
Explanation: The final stage in Comte's evolutionary model is the Scientific or 'Positive' stage. In this phase, society moves away from supernatural and abstract explanations, instead relying on empirical observation, experimentation, and the application of scientific laws to understand the world. Comte believed this stage represented the pinnacle of human intellectual development and social organization.
#1927
What is the specific term for the scientific perspective and philosophical framework established by Auguste Comte?
(a) Negative philosophy
(b) Philosophical science
(c) Positive philosophy
(d) Scientific philosophy
Explanation: Auguste Comte, often considered the father of sociology, coined the term 'positivism' and developed 'positive philosophy.' This approach emphasizes that true knowledge is derived from empirical observation, scientific methodology, and the identification of laws governing social phenomena, moving beyond theological and metaphysical explanations.
#1928
What did Auguste Comte intend by the concept of 'positivism' in the field of sociology?
(a) sociology should be optimistic about human achievements
(b) sociology should adopt the same methods as the natural sciences
(c) sociology should make use of statistical evidence
(d) sociological research must contribute to a governments social policy
Explanation: Auguste Comte, the founder of sociology, proposed positivism as a philosophy asserting that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge. He argued that sociology should be studied using the same rigorous, empirical, and observational methods employed in the natural sciences to discover the laws governing social phenomena.
#1929
In Auguste Comte's sociological framework, how many stages of cultural and intellectual development are identified?
(a) Four Stages
(b) Two stages
(c) Three Stages
(d) None of these
Explanation: Auguste Comte proposed the 'Law of Three Stages' to explain the evolution of human thought and society. These stages are the theological stage, where phenomena are explained by divine intervention; the metaphysical stage, where abstract forces replace supernatural beings; and the positive stage, where scientific observation and logic govern understanding. This framework was central to Comte's positivist philosophy and his vision for the development of sociology as a rigorous science.
#1930
What was the nationality of the philosopher and sociologist Auguste Comte?
(a) None of these
(b) American
(c) French thinker
(d) British
Explanation: Auguste Comte was a prominent French philosopher who is widely recognized as the father of sociology. He coined the term 'sociology' in 1838 and developed the positivist philosophy, which emphasizes the use of empirical scientific methods to understand and improve society. His work laid the foundation for sociology as a distinct academic discipline.
#1931
What did Auguste Comte intend to describe by using the term 'Social Statics'?
(a) Social evolution
(b) Existing social structures
(c) Positive effects
(d) Social dynamics
Explanation: Auguste Comte divided sociology into two main branches: Social Statics and Social Dynamics. Social Statics refers to the study of social order, stability, and the existing structures that hold society together at a given point in time, whereas Social Dynamics focuses on the processes of social change and evolution.
#1932
According to Auguste Comte, which scientific discipline was intended to serve as the ultimate synthesis of all other sciences?
(a) History
(b) Economics
(c) Biology
(d) Sociology
Explanation: Auguste Comte, the founder of positivism, proposed a hierarchy of sciences. He argued that sociology, which he initially termed 'social physics,' sits at the pinnacle of this hierarchy. By applying scientific methods to the study of social phenomena, sociology would integrate the findings of all preceding sciences to provide a comprehensive understanding of human society and progress.
#1933
In what year was the foundational work 'Positive Philosophy' by Auguste Comte first published?
(a) All of above
(b) 1838
(c) 1883
(d) 1938
Explanation: Auguste Comte, often considered the father of sociology, published his seminal work 'Cours de philosophie positive' (Course in Positive Philosophy) between 1830 and 1842. The year 1838 is widely cited as the period when he coined the term 'sociology' within this work, establishing the foundation for the scientific study of society.
#1934
According to Auguste Comte's 'Law of Three Stages,' how does society develop?
(a) three stages
(b) four stages
(c) None of these
(d) two stages
Explanation: Auguste Comte, the founder of positivism, proposed that human knowledge and society evolve through three distinct stages: the theological stage (explaining phenomena through supernatural forces), the metaphysical stage (explaining phenomena through abstract philosophical concepts), and the positive or scientific stage (explaining phenomena through empirical observation and scientific laws). This framework was central to his vision of sociology as a rigorous science.
#1935
How many stages of social change did Auguste Comte identify in his theory of societal development?
(a) None of these
(b) Four stages of social change
(c) Three stages
(d) Two stages
Explanation: Auguste Comte, the founder of positivism, proposed the 'Law of Three Stages' to explain the evolution of human knowledge and society. These stages are the theological stage, the metaphysical stage, and the positive (or scientific) stage. Comte argued that each stage represents a different way of understanding the world, with the positive stage being the final, most advanced form of intellectual development.
#1936
According to Auguste Comte's evolutionary perspective, in what manner do human societies progress?
(a) Stagnant state
(b) Polylinear way
(c) Multi-linear way
(d) Uni-linear way
Explanation: Auguste Comte proposed a uni-linear theory of social evolution, suggesting that all societies pass through the same three stages of development: the theological, the metaphysical, and the positive (scientific) stage. This perspective assumes a single, universal path of progress for human civilization.
#1937
What is the name of the theory proposed by Auguste Comte regarding the evolution of human thought?
(a) three phases
(b) All of above
(c) Four phases
(d) Two phases
Explanation: Auguste Comte proposed the 'Law of Three Stages' to describe the evolution of human knowledge and society. These stages are the theological (supernatural explanations), the metaphysical (abstract philosophical explanations), and the positive (scientific explanations based on observation). This theory is central to Comte's positivist philosophy and his vision for sociology as a scientific discipline.
#1938
According to Auguste Comte's Law of Three Stages, what is the final stage of societal development?
(a) Scientific Stage
(b) Metaphysical Stage
(c) None of these
(d) Theological stage
Explanation: Auguste Comte proposed that human society evolves through three distinct intellectual stages. The first is the Theological stage, followed by the Metaphysical stage, and finally the Scientific (or Positivist) stage. In the final stage, society relies on observation, experimentation, and scientific reasoning to explain phenomena, moving away from supernatural or abstract philosophical explanations.
#1939
In what year was the French philosopher and sociologist Auguste Comte born?
(a) 1789
(b) 1798
(c) 1759
(d) 1799
Explanation: Auguste Comte, the founder of positivism and the person who coined the term 'sociology', was born on January 19, 1798, in Montpellier, France. His intellectual contributions laid the groundwork for the scientific study of society.
#1940
What are the three successive stages of societal development identified in Auguste Comte's 'Law of Three Stages'?
(a) Inequality, conflict and equality
(b) Theological, metaphysical and positive
(c) Positive, negative and neutral
(d) Feudal, Industrial and mechanical
Explanation: Auguste Comte proposed that human intellectual development progresses through three stages: the theological stage (relying on supernatural explanations), the metaphysical stage (relying on abstract philosophical concepts), and the positive stage (relying on scientific observation and empirical evidence).