The Idea of Progress: An Inquiry Into Its Origin and Growth

advance ancient appeared argument arts authority Bacon beginning believe Bossuet causes century Christianity civilisation common Comte conception Condorcet considered continuous course criticism depends Descartes direction discoveries doctrine earth effect eighteenth equality established experience fact final followed Fontenelle force France French future Greek happiness human idea of Progress ideal ignorance imagination important improvement increase individual influence institutions intellectual interest Italy knowledge later laws less liberty living man's mankind means ment methods mind moral movement nature necessary never observed opinion original past perfection period philosophy physical political possible present principle problem produce Providence published question race reached realised reason religion result Roman Saint-Simon says scientific social society speculations spirit stage succession suggested theory things thinkers thought tion true universal whole