There are a number of books on the history of the idea of progress, most famously by J. B. Bury. I have only skimmed/sampled them, though.
The best thing I’ve read on this topic is from Joel Mokyr in The Atlantic: “Progress Isn’t Natural”
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There are a number of books on the history of the idea of progress, most famously by J. B. Bury. I have only skimmed/sampled them, though.
The best thing I’ve read on this topic is from Joel Mokyr in The Atlantic: “Progress Isn’t Natural”