Renewing our Commitment to Progress James J. Hughes Ph.D. Executive Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies Lecturer, Public Policy Studies, Trinity College Conn College Tedx – April 14, 2012

Origins of Progress Sketch for an Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Spirit (1795) Reason liberates us from church, kings, nature Women’s suffrage and an end to slavery Radical life extension Freedom from work "Nature has set no term to the perfection of human faculties; the perfectibility of man is truly indefinite.” Nicolas de Caritat, Marquis de Condorcet

Moral and Political Progress Linear progression of history towards more freedom, equality and justice Copyright Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies 2005 Freedom House Democracy Index 2011

Economic Progress Better health and longer life Higher quality of life More wealth and leisure, more equally shared Copyright Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies 2005

Scientific Progress Growth of reason and knowledge Scientific and technological progress works complementarily with social progress Social ills are the result of ignorance not sin

Reaction to Progress Counter-Enlightenment Religious reaction Rejection of totalitarian utopianism Counterculture & Ecology Post-modernism Disillusionment, rising expectations

Problems with Moral Progress Progress as rationale for imperialism Reason erodes moral certainty Copyright Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies 2005

Problems with Scientific Progress Scientific uncertainty, biases, abuses Not TRUTH, just better hypotheses Scientists reflect social biases (eugenics, medicine) Science can be used to oppress as well as liberate

Progress Could Stop Completely Civilization has become very complex Natural and man-made catastrophes could end human civilization

No Inevitability As in biology, nothing is inevitable in the evolution of ideas and institutions Lack of inevitability is precisely why we need a conscious commitment to a chastened idea of progress Progress as Great Work

Evidence of Progress There has been social and political progress Pinker: Decline of violence, torture, slavery Gay oppression to gay marriage in 40 years Sam Harris’ The Moral Landscape: We all accept basic goals

Scientific Progress Imperfect, but Directional Problems of scientific bias solved by more science, not less Dangers of anti-science skepticism

Renewing the Progress Project Expanding Rights, Equality, Democracy Freedom from the gender binary More perfect forms of democratic self- governance Rights for non-human persons

Beyond War, Death and Toil End War John Horgan Global security Make Death Optional Anti-aging medicine Longevity Dividend Beyond Toil for Wages Automation Basic income guarantee