Germaine de Staël on scientific progress demanding moral progress

    The idea is commonplace today, but it’s remarkable that Germaine de Staël wrote of it 200 years ago:

Scientific progress makes moral progress a necessity; for if man’s power is increased, the checks that restrain him from abusing it must be strengthened.

    What is moral progress? We progress easily in knowing what we ought to do. We regress in our willingness to do it.
    Solving global warming demands moral progress. We know what we ought to do but are loath to start.
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    For a brief biography of Germaine de Staël, click here.