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I'd argue that we need to understand how progress got its current meaning, as something undisputedly good. A few centuries ago it just meant movement along a p
by B1FF_PSUVM 4y ago
I'd argue that we need to understand how progress got its current meaning, as something undisputedly good.
A few centuries ago it just meant movement along a path - e.g. The Pilgrim's Progress.
- LordDragonfang 4y agoI'd wager it came from positive associations with the notion of "scientific progress". Google NGrams: https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=scientific+progress&year_start=1700 https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=scientific+pro... It correlates pretty cleanly with "social progress" as well https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=scientific+progress%2Csocial+progress&year_start=1700&year_end=2019 https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=scientific+pro...
- B1FF_PSUVM 4y agoThe killer is "historical progress" - around Montaigne's time they still debated if the (golden age) ancients or the moderns had it. Afterwards they lost all doubt. What people will do for a little aspirin ... (Marx went to town on it, paradise on earth was at hand. Scientifically, of course.)