What Is Progress

by Aldo Schiavone

Overview

“Historian Schiavone mixes philosophy, politics, and anthropology in this stimulating inquiry into the ‘paradigm of progress.’” —Publishers Weekly

Today, many believe that progress is a word to be avoided, a relic from a past, the dangerous product of an era of intellectual naivety that would be best forgotten. Yet, the idea of progress is rooted in a human impulse that is both profound and essential, a way of interpreting history without which our ability to plan the future—and our very identity—would be at stake.

Written just before the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic—which is now putting its argument to the hardest of tests—this lucid essay explores how science and technology have been, and can still be, a powerful engine for human advancement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781609456795
Publisher:	Europa Editions, Incorporated
Publication date:	03/08/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	76
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Aldo Schiavone is one of Italy’s most renowned historians, whose works have been translated into numerous languages. He has taught Roman Law at the University of Florence and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His previous books include Spartacus (2013) and Pontius Pilate (2017).

Table of Contents

The Unexpected … 11

I The Angel's Gaze 13

II Where The Arrow Goes 45

III The Future Found Again 75

Virus and Ideas A Sort of Afterword 103

Notes 115

Bout the Author 123

Editorial Reviews

05/10/2021

Historian Schiavone (Pontius Pilate) mixes philosophy, politics, and anthropology in this stimulating inquiry into the “paradigm of progress.” He details how the idea that humankind is on an “irresistible forward march” took hold during the 19th century, when it was reflected in the technological advances of the Industrial Revolution, Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theories, and the philosophies of Marx and Hegel. In the first half of the 20th century, however, two world wars, the Great Depression, the Holocaust, and the prospect of nuclear annihilation undercut humanity’s faith in scientific and technological progress, which has disappeared “almost completely” in the face of today’s economic inequalities, climate change anxieties, and political extremism. Schiavone proposes a new, “dialectical” way of thinking about progress that acknowledges its “different directions: toward the abyss or toward an increasingly complete fulfillment of the human.” Only by accepting that the arc of human history is both “intrinsically progressive” (more complex technologies, greater mastery of nature) and highly fragmented and chaotic, the author suggests, can society muster the vision and resolve to tackle its biggest problems and pursue greater freedom, equality, and self-knowledge for all. Goldstein’s graceful translation complements Schiavone’s incisive thinking and the book’s broad scope. The result is an erudite and thought-provoking call for embracing the possibilities of the future. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Historian Schiavone mixes philosophy, politics, and anthropology in this stimulating inquiry into the ‘paradigm of progress’... Goldstein’s graceful translation complements Schiavone’s incisive thinking and the book’s broad scope. The result is an erudite and thought-provoking call for embracing the possibilities of the future.”—Publishers Weekly

“There’s something on every single page to make readers pause and reflect. Schiavone’s insights are magisterial... He takes us on a fascinating journey through history, ethics, philosophy, science, and technology.”—Critica Letteraria

“Riveting... A sweeping journey from the deepest roots of our society and to the future that awaits it.”—Pulp

From the Publisher