Who is often regarded as the father of sociology and emphasized the importance of social facts in understanding society?

The person often regarded as the father of sociology is Auguste Comte. He believed that to understand society, we must study social facts, which are the rules and norms that guide people's behavior. Comte thought that just like scientists study the natural world, sociologists should study the social world using observation and reasoning. For example, if we want to understand why people follow certain laws, we should look at the social facts surrounding those laws, like cultural values and traditions. By focusing on these social facts, Comte helped lay the groundwork for sociology as a discipline that examines how people interact within their societies.