Review article
PROGRESS: SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HORIZONS
Rade Kalanj
; Faculty of Philosophy, Zagreb
Abstract
The paper deals with the investigation of the progress in the context of environmental opinions and social and environmental researches. The main assumption is that the above frame is very suitable for the present-day understanding of the problem of the progress. The report stresses the fact that there are basic conditions to be fulfilled before the ambivalent theme could be „measured“ and evaluated from a more solid viewpoint. This represents the basis from which the ways of interconnecting the empirical conscience of the social actors with purpose-rational and value-rational criteria of evaluating the progress are regarded. The interconnection has already been historically tested and is therefore known but the present-day environmental situation is adding the new clarity and expressiveness to it. The conscience of the need for „new union“ with nature is growing, but it does not mean that the idea of progress is rejected nor that people would be choosing a romantical approach towards it. The relationship is today filled with careful realism and rational scepticism while the care for nature is filled with expectancy for the science and technology to discover new ways for the protection of nature. The contemporaneous man does not particularly react to the general and abstract in the idea of progress, though he may be clearly expressing his opinions on concrete evidence, on manifestations of the growth of the idea - such as the realisations of science and technology. He is taking utilitarian and critical attitude simultaneously towards the problem - it appears that the environmental crisis is liberating him in a way from the traditional progressist and utopian ideas.
Keywords
development; progress; purpose-rational and value-rational idea of progress; social and environmental research on development
Hrčak ID:
138910
URI
Publication date:
15.1.1993.
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