Precis of "Progress" by Alan Lightman
_"Progress" Precis Exemplar
Alan Lightman presents, in his essay “Progress,” the contentious idea that we as individuals must hold out against unthinking acceptance of technological advances, without due consideration of human values and quality of life. The cornerstone of his argument asks us to critically question what progress is, to decide if it is human happiness or human comfort and to evaluate the nuances of such questions.
The suggestion to limit technological progress is certainly controversial. Lightman recognizes the great benefits technology has brought the human race, especially from such developments as the electric light and public health programs that have eradicated many devastating diseases and extended our life span. Nevertheless, he sees that there are more problems than benefits and he points out the problems in communication, particularly email, that have arisen from increasing the speed of the process, which has caused an increase in the “haste, thoughtlessness, and artificial urgency that increasingly characterize our world.” This overuse of and increased speed of communication has caused us to be less reflective, rarely considering the long term consequences.
Lightman sees email as representative of a whole range of developments that have serious and far-reaching consequences and will compromise our quality of life. Without considering the ethical and practical effects of rampant technological development, we plunge headlong into a dangerous world characterized by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein, H.G. Wells in The Island of Dr. Moreau and others.
Alan Lightman’s only envisions a solution that comes from the individual. The examination of the rightness or wrongness of technological developments must come from personal questioning, from changing our thinking and recognizing that we are human beings.
The suggestion to limit technological progress is certainly controversial. Lightman recognizes the great benefits technology has brought the human race, especially from such developments as the electric light and public health programs that have eradicated many devastating diseases and extended our life span. Nevertheless, he sees that there are more problems than benefits and he points out the problems in communication, particularly email, that have arisen from increasing the speed of the process, which has caused an increase in the “haste, thoughtlessness, and artificial urgency that increasingly characterize our world.” This overuse of and increased speed of communication has caused us to be less reflective, rarely considering the long term consequences.
Lightman sees email as representative of a whole range of developments that have serious and far-reaching consequences and will compromise our quality of life. Without considering the ethical and practical effects of rampant technological development, we plunge headlong into a dangerous world characterized by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein, H.G. Wells in The Island of Dr. Moreau and others.
Alan Lightman’s only envisions a solution that comes from the individual. The examination of the rightness or wrongness of technological developments must come from personal questioning, from changing our thinking and recognizing that we are human beings.