The Idea of Progress: an Inquiry Into its Origin and Growth

Description

Cover; Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Contents; PREFATORY NOTE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION; INTRODUCTION; INTRODUCTION; CHAPTER I SOME INTERPRETATIONS OF UNIVERSAL HISTORY: BODIN AND LE ROY; CHAPTER II UTILITY THE END OF KNOWLEDGE: BACON; CHAPTER III CARTESIANISM; CHAPTER IV THE DOCTRINE OF DEGENERATION: THE ANCIENTS AND MODERNS; CHAPTER V THE PROGRESS OF KNOWLEDGE I FONTENELLE; CHAPTER VI THE GENERAL PROGRESS OF MAN: ABBÉ DE SAINT-PIERRE; CHAPTER VII NEW CONCEPTIONS OF HISTORY: MONTESQUIEU, VOLTAIRE, TURGOT; CHAPTER VIII THE ENCYCLOPAEDISTS AND ECONOMISTS.;Wide-ranging, erudite and stimulating, this thought-provoking volume describes the birth and development of one of the most important basic ideas of our civilization: progress, or the concept that humanity is advancing in a definite and desirable direction. Throughout, Bury examines the contributions of Darwin, Descartes, Voltaire, Locke, and other important thinkers. Cover Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents PREFATORY NOTE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION CHAPTER I SOME INTERPRETATIONS OF UNIVERSAL HISTORY: BODIN AND LE ROY CHAPTER II UTILITY THE END OF KNOWLEDGE: BACON CHAPTER III CARTESIANISM CHAPTER IV THE DOCTRINE OF DEGENERATION: THE ANCIENTS AND MODERNS CHAPTER V THE PROGRESS OF KNOWLEDGE I FONTENELLE CHAPTER VI THE GENERAL PROGRESS OF MAN: ABBÉ DE SAINT-PIERRE CHAPTER VII NEW CONCEPTIONS OF HISTORY: MONTESQUIEU, VOLTAIRE, TURGOT CHAPTER VIII THE ENCYCLOPAEDISTS AND ECONOMISTS. CHAPTER IX WAS CIVILISATION A MISTAKE? ROUSSEAU, CHASTELLUXCHAPTER X THE YEAR 2440 CHAPTER XI THE FRENCH REVOLUTION: CONDORCET CHAPTER XII THE THEORY OF PROGRESS IN ENGLAND CHAPTER XIII GERMAN SPECULATIONS ON PROGRESS CHAPTER XIV CURRENTS OF THOUGHT IN FRANCE AFTER THE REVOLUTION CHAPTER XV THE SEARCH FOR A LAW OF PROGRESS: I. SAINT-SIMON CHAPTER XVI THE SEARCH FOR A LAW OF PROGRESS: II. COMTE CHAPTER XVII "PROGRESS" IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT (1830-1851) CHAPTER XVIII MATERIAL PROGRESS: EXHIBITION OF 1851 CHAPTER XIX PROGRESS IN THE LIGHT OF EVOLUTION EPILOGUE INDEX.