Is every technological advance an improvement? From the invention of the printing press to the rise of artificial intelligence, progress has shaped the human experience. But the idea that progress is always positive has been challenged by philosophers, ethicists, and scientists alike. At the heart of this debate lies a central question: how do we define progress, and at what cost does it come?
During the Industrial Revolution, societies embraced machines that increased production and efficiency. Philosophers like John Stuart Mill warned that while industrial growth improved material wealth, it could also erode human well-being and moral reflection. Mill argued for a kind of progress that balanced economic growth with happiness, individual freedom, and ethical responsibility.
In the 20th century, thinkers such as Hannah Arendt and Aldous Huxley examined how unchecked technological advancement could lead to control and dehumanization. Huxley’s novel *Brave New World* imagined a future where comfort and efficiency replaced critical thinking and individuality. Arendt, reflecting on totalitarian regimes, questioned whether modern systems could turn people into mere cogs in a machine—efficient, but unfree.
Today, debates over data privacy, artificial intelligence, and climate technology continue to raise ethical concerns. Are we moving too fast? Are we asking enough questions? Some argue that ethical guidelines lag behind innovation, leaving societies unprepared for the consequences of their own creations. Others believe that the tools we build are neutral, and it is human intention that gives them meaning.
Progress, then, is not simply a matter of invention—it is a matter of judgment. As humanity gains more power through technology, it must also develop the wisdom to guide that power. Without reflection, progress can become directionless. But with ethical insight, it may become something more: a path not only toward capability, but toward conscience.
Q1: What is the central idea of the passage?
Q2: What concern did John Stuart Mill raise about industrial progress?
Q3: How do the views of Huxley and Arendt expand on Mill’s argument?
Q4: What can the reader infer about the author’s view on current technological development?
Q5: What does the word 'conscience' most likely mean in the sentence: '...a path not only toward capability, but toward conscience'?
Printable Comprehension Practice
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Q1: What is the central idea of the passage?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: The passage explores how technological progress should be examined through ethical lenses, not just celebrated for its innovations.
Q2: What concern did John Stuart Mill raise about industrial progress?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: Mill’s concern was that industrial growth focused too much on wealth and ignored personal happiness and ethics.
Q3: How do the views of Huxley and Arendt expand on Mill’s argument?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: While Mill emphasized personal happiness and responsibility, Huxley and Arendt pushed further, warning about control, conformity, and the dehumanizing effects of unchecked progress.
Q4: What can the reader infer about the author’s view on current technological development?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The final paragraph highlights the need for wisdom and ethical insight to direct technological power, implying a cautious but hopeful view of progress.
Q5: What does the word 'conscience' most likely mean in the sentence: '...a path not only toward capability, but toward conscience'?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The sentence contrasts technological ability (capability) with moral understanding (conscience), emphasizing ethics.