What is progress?
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What is progress?
Optimism is the meta that defines the rate of progress, and progress translates into longer, healthier, wealthier, and happier lives for more people.
Packy McCormick • Optimism
Development is a widely used term that reflects more than economic growth. It also captures the degree to which a country’s wealth has kept up with or, better yet, surpassed population increases, how well any increased wealth is distributed throughout the population, and measures reflecting the quality of life.
Richard Haass • The World
Progress that is both rapid enough to be noticed and stable enough to continue over many generations has been achieved only once in the history of our species. It began at approximately the time of the scientific revolution, and is still under way. It has included improvements not only in scientific understanding, but also in technology, political ... See more
David Deutsch • The Beginning of Infinity – Explanations that Transform the World
Progress is good. As Steven Pinker has argued, most things are getting better over time. We are richer, healthier, safer, and better-educated than our ancestors. Although redistribution and social changes can make things better or worse around the edges, most of our current fortunate position comes from simple economic growth.