The Idea of Progress (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. An Inquiry Into Its Origin And GrowthBy J. B. Bury
Length10h 59m
About this audiobook
The Idea of Progress is J. B. Bury's lucid historical inquiry into one of modernity's governing assumptions: that humanity, through reason, science, and social organization, can advance indefinitely. Written in a measured, analytic prose characteristic of early twentieth-century intellectual history, the book traces the concept from classical and Christian antecedents through the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and nineteenth-century evolutionary thought. Bury situates progress not as an eternal truth but as a historically emergent idea, shaped by changing attitudes toward knowledge, freedom, and the future. J. B. Bury, an eminent Irish historian and classical scholar, was deeply formed by rigorous philology, ancient history, and the liberal rationalism of his age. His career at Trinity College Dublin and later Cambridge gave him command of both classical antiquity and modern historiography. This breadth enabled him to examine progress with unusual detachment, neither merely celebrating nor dismissing it, but asking how such a powerful doctrine came to command modern belief. This book is recommended to readers interested in intellectual history, philosophy of history, and the genealogy of modern secular thought. It remains valuable for anyone wishing to understand how confidence in human improvement became central to modern political, scientific, and cultural imagination.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.4 (48)
Includes Amazon
GenrePhilosophy
Length10 hrs 59 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateFeb 6, 2019
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1A Beginner's History of Philosophy (Vol. 1&2) (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Preface
Show all chaptersShow less
6Introduction
7Chapter I. Some Interpretations of Universal History: Bodin and le Roy
8Chapter II. Utility the End of Knowledge: Bacon
9Chapter III. Cartesianism
10Chapter IV. The Doctrine of Degeneration: The Ancients and Moderns
11Chapter V. The Progress of Knowledge: Fontenelle
12Chapter VI. The General Progress of Man: Abbe de Saint-Pierre
13Chapter VII. New Conceptions of History: Montesquieu, Voltaire, Turgot
14Chapter VIII. The Encyclopaedists and Economists
15Chapter IX. Was Civilisation a Mistake? Rousseau, Chastellux. 1
16Chapter X. The Year 2440
17Chapter XI. The French Revolution: Condorcet
18Chapter XII. The Theory of Progress in England
19Chapter XIII. German Speculations on Progress
20Chapter XIV. Currents of Thought in France after the Revolution
21Chapter XV. The Search for a Law of Progress
22Chapter XVI. The Search for a Law of Progress: II. Comte
23Chapter XVII. "Progress" in the French Revolutionary Movement (1830-1851)
24Chapter XVIII. Material Progress: The Exhibition of 1851
25Chapter XIX. Progress in the Light of Evolution
26Epilogue
27Analysis
28Reflection
29Memorable Quotes
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