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Senegal philosophy exam explores link between technology and morality
The 2025 Senegalese baccalaureate philosophy examination featured a prompt questioning whether the effectiveness of technical action inherently results in moral progress. This topic engages with Enlightenment-era ideals, specifically a 1787 maxim by Condorcet suggesting that increasing civilization would eventually eliminate war, conquest, slavery, and poverty.
The analysis notes that while technological development has accelerated, the promises of the Enlightenment have not been fully realized, as conflicts, poverty, and practical instances of slavery persist. The atomic bombing of Hiroshima is cited as a paradox of scientific advancement coupled with moral regression.
Furthermore, the discussion references Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s critique in 'Discourse on the Sciences and the Arts,' where he argued that the advancement of sciences and arts might actually harm moral progress rather than foster benevolence. The prompt emphasizes the necessity of distinguishing between scientific research and its subsequent consequences.
Entities
Condorcet · Hiroshima · Jean-Jacques Rousseau · Senegal · Seydou Ka
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The 2025 Senegalese baccalaureate philosophy exam included a question regarding whether technical effectiveness leads to moral progress. lesoleil.sn · mwebantu.news · dakar92.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Condorcet stated in 1787 that the spread of civilization would lead to the disappearance of wars, conquests, slavery, and poverty. lesoleil.sn · mwebantu.news · dakar92.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Rousseau argued in 'Émile, ou de l’éducation' that individuals can be human without being learned. lesoleil.sn · mwebantu.news · dakar92.com