progress

progress
The belief that later times are improvements over earlier times. This may be in limited respects, such as in the extent of scientific knowledge or the moral capacities of human beings. Or the improvement may be more global, as in the world view of Hegel, who sees history as the progressive embodiment of rational principles. The 18th century ( Voltaire, Condorcet, Kant ) saw the greatest flowering of belief in progress, with belief that a benevolent providence had secured for us perfectibility on earth, through increasing deployment of knowledge and reason. In the 19th century belief in progress continued to flourish, with Comte and Marx equally enamoured of it. The theory of evolution through natural selection added (spurious) support to the idea in the work of social evolutionists such as Spencer . The progressive nature of scientific enquiry is probably the most impressive example of progress that we have, although even this is doubted by philosophies of a sceptical and relativistic bent, that see in science only a history of revolutions. See also perfectibility.

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Progress — M1 10 Nahaufnahme des aktiven Andockstutzens …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Progress — Студийный альбом Take That …   Википедия

  • progress# — progress n 1 advance (see under ADVANCE vb 2) Analogous words: improvement, betterment (see corresponding verbs at IMPROVE): headway, impetus (see SPEED n) 2 Progress, progression are not always clearly distinguished, although they can be more or …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Progress — Prog ress (?; 277), n. [L. progressus, from progredi, p. p. progressus, to go forth or forward; pro forward + gradi to step, go: cf. F. progr[ e]s. See {Grade}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A moving or going forward; a proceeding onward; an advance;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Progress — Pro*gress (?; formerly pronounced like {Progress}, n.), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Progressed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Progressing}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To make progress; to move forward in space; to continue onward in course; to proceed; to advance; to go… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Progress — (progreso en ruso) es una familia de naves no tripuladas rusas utilizadas para llevar víveres y combustible a estaciones espaciales. En un principio se utilizaron con las estaciones Salyut 6, Salyut 7 y Mir, permitiendo que las tripulaciones… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Progress — Prog ress (?; see {Progress}, v. i.), v. t. To make progress in; to pass through. [Obs.] Milton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Progress — Progress, PA U.S. Census Designated Place in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 9647 Housing Units (2000): 4569 Land area (2000): 2.757571 sq. miles (7.142077 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000):… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Progress, PA — U.S. Census Designated Place in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 9647 Housing Units (2000): 4569 Land area (2000): 2.757571 sq. miles (7.142077 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 2.757571 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • progress — In BrE the noun is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable, and the verb (= make progress) with the stress on the second syllable. In the transitive meaning ‘to cause (work etc.) to make progress’, pronunciation with the stress pattern… …   Modern English usage

  • progress — [n] advancement, gain advance, amelioration, anabasis, betterment, boost, break, breakthrough, buildup, course, dash, development, evolution, evolvement, expedition, flowering, growth, headway, hike, impetus, improvement, increase, journey, lunge …   New thesaurus

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”