The rarity of golden ages is profoundly captured by the opening sentence in David Deutsch's "The Beginning of Infinity."
Progress that is both rapid enough to be noticed and stable enough to continue over many generations has been achieved only once in the history of our species.
"What is meant by a golden age? ... these are societies that remain open, especially to trade, people, and intellectual exchange. They are characterized by optimism, economic growth, and achievements in numerous areas that distinguish them from other contemporary societies."
The rarity of golden ages is profoundly captured by the opening sentence in David Deutsch's "The Beginning of Infinity."
Progress that is both rapid enough to be noticed and stable enough to continue over many generations has been achieved only once in the history of our species.
The golden age is characterised by optimism.
"What is meant by a golden age? ... these are societies that remain open, especially to trade, people, and intellectual exchange. They are characterized by optimism, economic growth, and achievements in numerous areas that distinguish them from other contemporary societies."
Nicely put!