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Can 'progress studies' contribute to knowledge? History suggests caution

theconversation.com · 1,298 words · saved by 1 readers

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Concordia University and University of Waterloo provide funding as founding partners of The Conversation CA. Universitié Concordia provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation CA-FR. University of Waterloo provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA-FR. View all partners According to tech entrepreneur Patrick Collison and economist Tyler Cowen, academia needs a new discipline called “progress studies.” But their proposal overlooks two crucial facts: human progress has been an object of study for centuries, and innovators ignorant of that scholarship have had devastating effects on the planet and society. When Collison and Cowen write that “progress itself is understudied,” historians balk. Progress has been a backbone of historical narratives; its

Proposing ‘progress studies’ as a new academic field of study ignores history. Shutterstock https://theconversation.com/can-progress-studies-contribute-to-knowledge-history-suggests-caution-121410 https://theconversation.com/can-progress-studies-contribute-to-knowledge-history-suggests-caution-121410 Link copied Share article Share article Copy link Email Bluesky Facebook WhatsApp Messenger LinkedIn X (Twitter) Print article According to tech entrepreneur Patrick Collison and economist Tyler Cowen, academia needs a new discipline called “progress studies.” But their proposal overlooks two cruc

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