What is the truth? Is it our ability to reason that lead us toward the truth? The philosophers Mill and Huxley would argue that our ability to reason leads human beings towards a positive, progressively modern world. In opposition to this optimistic view are the philosophers Nietzsche and Dostoevsky: who believe that despite our ability to reason, the progress we are making is not positive, and in fact, is a regression that ignores the natural impulses of human beings. While both sides present conflicting point of views, there is one truth that remains consistent: we live in a world that contains both perspectives. Modern society can be considered a valuable asset for human kind, while at the same time, can also be considered detrimental to human life. Now that philosophers have realized modern progress can provide humanity with positive and negative results, society seems to have come to a fork in the road. Is our progress through science and reason really the start of our downfall, or does our progress actually make our lives more pleasurable?.
The philosopher John Mill believed that the progress modern society has made is positive. Based on his fundamental belief that an individual should involve himself with what makes him most happy, Mill beliefs that a happy individual is a positive asset to society. Mill writes that since the goal of man is to perfect and beautify life, the most important factor in striving towards perfection lies "within man himself" (Mill, 56). The key to an individual's happiness rests on the notion that man must be able to freely express his own opinion, regardless of whether or not it is proven true. It is also important to note that Mill believes a person should formulate his opinion through reason. Mill declares that a man must "use observation to see, reasoning and judgment to foresee, and self-control to hold to his deliberate decision" (56).