Concept
Progress
Overview
movement towards a refined, improved, or otherwise desired state
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Progress is discussed.
The current conception of Progress is somewhat shifting and indefinite. Sometimes it comprehends little more than simple growth--as of a nation in the number of its members and the extent of territory over which it has spread.
Herbert Spencer, Illustrations of Universal Progress
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; states what it is; the book is about it; author linked in the graph; opens on it
This is the history of all organisms whatever. It is settled beyond dispute that organic progress consists in a change from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous. Now, we propose in the first place to show, that this law of organic progress is the law of all progress. Whether it be in the development of the Earth, in the development of Life upon its surface, in the development of Society, of Government, of…
Herbert Spencer, Essays on education and kindred subjects
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Progress means increase of present meaning, which involves multiplication of sensed distinctions as well as harmony, unification. This statement may, perhaps, be made generally, in application to the experience of humanity.
John Dewey, Human Nature and Conduct
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
Progress in the higher sense includes improvements of three sorts; that is to say, it may be Physical, Intellectual, or Moral progress; the difficulty of each class being in proportion to its value and the extent of its sphere. Physical progress, which again might be divided on the same principle, seems under some of its aspects almost the same thing as material. But regarded as a whole it is far more important and…
Auguste Comte, A General View of Positivism Or, Summary exposition of the System of Thought and Life
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Granting this, what it proves is, not that Progress is generically a different thing from Permanence, but that wealth is a different thing from virtue. Progress is permanence and something more; and it is no answer to this to say that Progress in one thing does not imply Permanence in every thing. No more does Progress in one thing imply Progress in every thing. Progress of any kind includes Permanence in that same…
John Stuart Mill, Considerations on Representative Government
names the idea; states what it is; author linked in the graph; opens on it
Philosophers who discussed Progress
Related ideas
- Edmund Burke
- John Adams
- John Gray (philosopher)
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- French Revolution
- Francis Bacon
- Persian language
- Friedrich Hayek
- Gross domestic product
- Auguste Comte
- Herodotus
- Philosophy
- Abrahamic religions
- William Godwin
- History of science
- Immanuel Kant
- John Stuart Mill
- Joseph Stalin
- Reactionary
- Joseph Schumpeter
- John Locke
- Giambattista Vico
- Karl Popper
- Kuomintang
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Philosophy of history.