The ultimate rule of conduct remains for me . . . that one should produce the greatest good possible, or if one prefers this way of putting it, make the world as much better as possible.
Brand Blanshard / Reason and Belief
. . . planning is predeterming a course of events - working through what must happen if a desired result is to be brought to pass.
Hyrum W. Smith / What Matters Most
. . . worldwide sea changes . . . must happen in order to return civilization to its foundation of shared human values.
Hyrum W. Smith / What Matters Most
The 21st century has inherited the conflicts, confusions, and proclivities of the 20th century. If we are to move beyond them - as we must - then it is essential that we identify the most important problems before us, understand clearly the best means of addressing these problems, and then develop a plan for implementing those means.
Everything Progressive is an online journal concerned with achieving each of these three ends.
But this requires us two address two further issues. As individuals, most of us are mired in perpetual economic insecurity, as well as a sort of psychic malaise that Hyrum W. Smith refers to as "life fog" - which is a lack of clarity about our most fundamental values. So these, too, are issues that must be resolved if America - and the rest of the world - is to regain its footing.
Economic insecurity is a consequence of contemporary politics and/or economics, both of which are presently skewed toward elitism everywhere, except for the relatively few countries practising democratic socialism (not the same thing as communism). "Life fog" is largely a consequence of the decay of religion (and to a lesser extent philosophy). We provide resources that can help get society back on the right footing.
We believe that rationalism provides the intellectual foundation for the future of humanity, and as such provides the best hope of arriving at an understanding of the optimal ends of human life. Hence the pillar seen above, a symbol of this conviction. But, while some aspects of rationalism, such as mathematics, logic, and science, are relatively well understood, what rationalism implies for the aims and proper conduct of human life remains almost unknown.
To our detriment.
This wasn't always the case. The Renaissance was sparked by the rediscovery of Greek rationalism. Over the course of the Enlightenment, the best ends of human life came under intensive and sustained investigation, and the implications of enlightenment for every aspect of life were explored.
And we think what rationalism implies for the aims and proper conduct of human life remains as important today as it was then. In that sense, Everything Progressive may be regarded as a reconsideration of the foundational concerns of the Enlightenment.
If the Nero-esque pathologies of the scientifically and philosophically illiterate Trump and Bush administrations have taught us anything, it is the paramount importance of rationalism - and therefore also of Progressivism.
You may click the Site Dashboard link above to access particular site content areas, the About Us page to read about the history of this site, or our more detailed mission page for a deeper understanding of our aims. Those who would like a concise briefing concerning the most urgent contemporary challenges facing humanity will find one here. Finally, we commend to our readers four essential books we consider canonical for the very survival of the human species.
The Editor / Everything Progressive
