"Does progress exist?"

Essay by scoot08High School, 12th gradeA-, May 2009

download word file, 5 pages 0.0

Progression is a series with a definite pattern of advance, a movement forward, or movement towards a goal. Over time mankind has greatly progressed in many ways, the advancements in science and technology change the living standards of people in many ways. These advancements give people a longer and more comfortable life, there are cures for cancers and sicknesses, people do not have to suffer from labor. Also the production levels of man greatly increased, this increase came from mans development of machinery and factory methods of the industrial revolution. The first person walking on the moon are all great progresses of mankind and things such as technology and science are constantly developing and becoming more advanced which shows how humans continue to progress, Claude Vorilhon a writer, stated on science and technologies advancements "Let us embrace Science and the new technologies unfettered, for it is these which will liberate mankind from the myth of god, and free us from our age old fears, from disease, death and the sweat of labor."

(Vorilhon 28) So mankind is ever changing and evolving its science and technology factors which improve our lives, it is seen that the existence of progression is clearly evident, if progression was not existent, then mankind would not walk on the moon or be able to find cures for diseases.

Centuries ago people would dream about going to the moon, people would design strange ways of travel to the moon, and through these dreams, designs and the progression of mankind, space travel became possible. The author of wizard of oz made this statement in one of his many other books about his views based on mankind and its progression, "Imagination has brought mankind through the dark ages to its present state of civilization. Imagination led Columbus to discover America. Imagination led Franklin to discover electricity." (Baum 248)This quote describes how mankind's imagination and dreams can lead people to amazing possibilities, such as building spacecraft. Mankind has the ability to put people on the moon; this is one of the greatest accomplishments of mankind and is truly a great example of how we have progressed. Neil Armstrong stated when he took his first steps on the moon "That's one small step for man - one giant leap for mankind" (DOUGHERTY 1) this line spoken by Armstrong at that time emphasized how mankind has succeeded in that great attempt and that human knowledge along with advancements of technology was able to put people into space and onto the moon, the changes and progression of human's abilities allowed this great thing to happen and become reality. Since that event, the progression of space travel has increased; it is evident that progression does exist.

With the advancements in science and technology, the life of people will continue to become better, living standards will improve and we will live much longer. The standard of living for people in about 15 years old in the future will exceed that of their parents just like how their living standards have exceeded their parents. This is due to mankind's ambition and thirst to create new technology and improve something to make it bigger and better than before. The ambition for science and technology advancements add to the progression of mankind, by using their knowledge to create better technology and new science methods mankind only moves further ahead with progression and does not go back. A quote from an author on the advancements of science stated "In the last fifty years science has advanced more than in the 2,000 previous years and given mankind greater powers over the forces of nature….." (Middle 84)This quote means that science has advanced rapidly in 50 years then the 2000 years previously, this just show how much mankind is changing and progressing. Science is able to help cure all kinds of cancer and sicknesses, it helps to find new methods to help cure people, and it has stopped the deaths of millions of people. Science improves mankind's ability to live longer and then to progress more.

In 1906, a scientific discovery was made, evidence was proven that the earth contained a central core, an author wrote in her book" In 1906, Richard Dixon Oldham deduced that the Earth has a core from seismograph tracings which showed that compression earthquake waves passing through the deep interior of the Earth travel at a slower rate than through the more shallow regions" (Li 521). This quote shows how one man's knowledge was able to make this discovery, and over time from this discovery, the progression of studies and knowledge about the earth has improved. Mankind is only going one way, and this is forward, becoming much more advanced with all the science and technology that makes people live better lives and provides people with more knowledge.

Not only does science and technology add to mankind's progression, but also the production levels of goods and services. Great improvements in technology were made during the 19th century, a huge wave of new technology and production methods were created. A statement about the starting of the Industrial Revolution stated "The rapid growth of new technology in Europe during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries led to the period which is now known as the Industrial Revolution." (More 5) This quote talks about how a rapid change in growth of new technology, machinery and factory methods were able to greatly increase the production. This came from mans desire to have more, people wanted more goods and people wanted more money. So mankind developed its current production methods into more highly effective methods which again show how progression increases over time. A quote by a man after the industrial revolution stated "The Industrial Revolution was a period of great change. New industries developed rapidly as a result of a number of new inventions and the way in which things were produced, and the way in which people lived and worked, changed rapidly as a result of these developments." (Beard 158) This man spoke of how new technology increased the production, this increase was because of mankind progressing and inventing new things to improve people's lives. This revolution sparked new beginnings to mankind's technology; the 20th century went through the technological revolution which saw major advancements in bio, nano, materialistic, information and communication technologies. Countries such as Japan has become one of the biggest technological countries, it makes great advancements in its technology and even leads the world with its advancements in technology. This shows the development mankind through their desire for more, which is a characteristic of mankind and is a main motive for the progression.

Mankind has truly progressed over the course of history and is continually moving forward in a pattern of advance. Technology and science have brought both great benefits, it does show mankind's ambition to find and create better technology and science which furthers the progression to human's future of more technology and improved sciences. This opens up better possibilities for increased life span, economic prosperity, and quality of life and mankind will continue to progresses from one great thing to another, humans make progression exist.

DOUGHERTY, RICHARD. "Hometown Salutes Neil Armstrong in All-American Style." Sep 7, 1969: 1.

Beard, Charles A.. The Development of Modern Europe: An Introduction to the Study of Current History.. Boston: Ginn & Company, 1907.

Frank, Baum. The Lost Princess of Oz. Echo Libary, 2005.

Li, J. Experimental Constraints on Core Composition. Elsevier, 2003.

More , Charles . Understanding the Industrial Revolution. London: Routledge, 2000Middle, John. Production and Technology for the Benefit of Mankind. Prague: Taylor & Francis, 2001.

Vorilhon, Claude. Yes to human cloning. Tagman Press, 2001.