What are the root causes of progress?

The concept of progress studies is examined by Jason Crawford, who delves into various root causes that have historically driven it. He highlights the unprecedented advancements over the last few centuries in standard of living, health, and technology, compared to the millennia of stagnation before them. Crawford's approach to progress studies incorporates examining major inventions and discoveries, and analyzing factors that catalyzed the sudden acceleration of human welfare and capabilities. He speculates on how the momentum of progress can be maintained and potentially accelerated, emphasizing that progress is not automatic or inevitable and needs to be actively nurtured and understood 1.

Additionally, Crawford brings up the concept of progress as a framework, a set of values about what is worth studying and safeguarding. He suggests that although progress studies might appear as a new field, it ideally functions as a unifying school of thought, enriching existing disciplines like history and economics with a focus on the phenomenon of progress and its implications for humanity 2.