![]() ![]() This book is my attempt to restate the ideals of the Enlightenment in the language and concepts of the 21st century. We know that countries can slide back into these primitive conditions, and so we ignore the achievements of the Enlightenment at our peril. More than ever, the ideals of reason, science, humanism, and progress need a wholehearted defense. ![]() ![]() I wrote this book because I have come to realize that it is not. The Enlightenment principle that we can apply reason and sympathy to enhance human flourishing may seem obvious, trite, old-fashioned. And not just a little wrong-wrong wrong, flat-earth wrong, couldn’t-be-more-wrong. I will show that this bleak assessment of the state of the world is wrong. ![]() Reason, science and humanism can all be effective tools at overcoming the irrational and anti-social sides of human nature and promoting progress.The Enlightenment was one of first times when a significant number of thinkers devoted their work towards promoting progress.This progress is widespread both geographically and in its breadth of domains (life, health, peace, security, prosperity, etc). Humanity has enjoyed enormous progress over the past few generations.He also does an excellent job of countering the arguments of those who are skeptical of progress or hostile to it. While I believe that Pinker overstates the importance of the Enlightenment, reason and science towards the creation of progress, he does an excellent job of documenting progress and explaining why we should care. ![]()
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