Prparation BAC ANGLAIS ORAL The Idea of Progress (from Latin progressus, "an advance") is the theory that

advances in technology, science, and social organization will improve the human condition Ancient Greece was dominated by the theory of world-cycles, and a preceding "Golden Age" of innocence and simplicity. Time was generally regarded as the enemy of humanity. The scientific advances of the 18th 19th centuries provided a basis for the optimistic outlook. They found their application in the Industrial Revolution. Enlightenment: for Voltaire, science and reason are the key to society's progress. The intellectual leaders of the American Revolution, such as Benjamin Franklin, , Thomas Jefferson believed the idea of progress meant that they could reorganize the political system to the benefit of the human condition; both for Americans and an "Empire of Liberty" (Jefferson). Thus was born the idea of inevitable American future progress. Ex: the Statue of Liberty. The parallel with the French Revolution is obvious. The theory of evolution (Darwinism) in the 19th century made progress a necessary law of nature. It is illustrated by the Green Lady phenomenon. Liberals in the 19th century called for the rapid modernization of the economy and society to create free markets and free movements of people: Capitalism was linked to the idea of progress.

Types of progress: Social progress is the idea that societies can or do improve in

terms of their social, political, and economic structures. Tool of measurement: GDP growth Scientific progress is the idea that science increases its problem solving ability through the application of some scientific method. Is there philosophical progress? There is a fundamental divide in philosophy between those who think philosophy is about clarification and those who think it is about recognizing complexity. Challenges to the theory: Luddism: the belief that modernization means enslavement, and that machines must be broken. (Modern Times) the 20th century realization that destruction, as in the two world wars, could grow out of technical progress changed people's minds. Speak of broken war heroes. Totalitarianism also proved economic or scientific progress could lead to little improvement. Explain the link: hero = New Man Environmentalism: GM products have changed the world. Explain the advantages and the drawbacks. Other examples peak oil, climate change The robot: from personal assistant and playmate to military drone and war machine. I. Asimov:'s 3 laws aim at containing progress. Is it possible? Necessary?