We need a new philosophy of progress and a movement to spread it

<aside> 💡 The progress of the last few centuries—in science, technology, industry, and the economy—is one of the greatest achievements of humanity. But to keep this upward trend going, we must believe that continued progress is both possible and desirable. The 19th century believed in the power of technology and industry to better humanity, but in the 20th century, this belief gave way to skepticism and distrust. It's time for a new generation of intellectuals to help the world understand and appreciate progress.

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How to use this page

This page offers an introduction to progress studies as well as a primer on key players in the emerging progress movement.

• New to progress studies? Start with Key Essays to get an overview, or if you’re more of an eclectic reader, you can also start with the Top 5 selections—personal favorites by the Roots of Progress team, Jason Crawford and Heike Larson.
• Looking to go deeper into specific cause areas? The cause area sections below each have a brief intro to a key area in progress studies that is work exploring and writing about, as well as a few essential essays, videos, or podcasts.
• Interested in books on progress? The bibliography has books by our program advisors as well as other writers; it’s meant as a starter bibliography for serious progress studies students. You can also explore Jason Crawford’s progress bibliography here.

Key essays: Progress Studies 101

Progress cause areas & some starter readings

Select Progress Bibliography

The Progress Movement & Progress Organizations

<aside> 💡 This list isn’t comprehensive. It’s a snapshot in time—and one we’ll edit and update regularly. If you feel a key essay or source is missing, please email us at [email protected].

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