Descript |
xix, 556 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm |
Contents |
Part I: Enlightenment -- Dare to understand! -- Entro, evo, info -- Counter-enlightenments -- Part II: Progress -- Progressophobia -- Life -- Health -- Sustenance -- Wealth -- Inequality -- The environment -- Peace -- Safety -- Terrorism -- Democracy -- Equal rights -- Knowledge -- Quality of life -- Happiness -- Existential threats -- The future of progress -- Part III: Reason, science, and humanism -- Reason -- Science -- Humanism. |
Bibliog. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Summary |
The follow-up to Pinker's groundbreaking The Better Angels of Our Nature presents the big picture of human progress: people are living longer, healthier, freer, and happier lives, and while our problems are formidable, the solutions lie in the Enlightenment ideal of using reason and science. Far from being a naïve hope, the Enlightenment, we now know, has worked. But more than ever, it needs a vigorous defense. The Enlightenment project swims against currents of human nature--tribalism, authoritarianism, demonization, magical thinking--which demagogues are all too willing to exploit. Many commentators, committed to political, religious, or romantic ideologies, fight a rearguard action against it. The result is a corrosive fatalism and a willingness to wreck the precious institutions of liberal democracy and global cooperation. |
Subject |
Progress.
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Civilization, Modern -- 21st century.
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Social change.
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Quality of life.
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Humanism.
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Framstegstanken
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Livskvalitet
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ISBN |
9780525427575 (hardcover) |
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9780525559023 (international edition) |
Class. |
Oab
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303.44
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