Embracing Meliorism: Hope amidst uncertainty

In the late nineteenth century, George Eliot believed she had coined the term 'meliorist' when she wrote, "I do not know that I ever heard anybody use the word 'meliorist' except myself." Her contemporaries credited her with coining both 'meliorist' and 'meliorism,' and one of her letters contains an early documented use of 'meliorism.' George Eliot is the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, a writer praised for the realism of her work and her accurate depiction of lower and rural-class England.

Meliorism describes positions in moral philosophy that favour improving or making more tolerable the conditions that cause suffering, even if those conditions have long existed. This could involve advocating for cures for common diseases or supporting the development of serious anti-aging therapies. The term is also used by ethicists, who specialise in the study of right and wrong actions in human decisions.

Meliorism simply means 'better.' It opposes pessimism, which generally means 'worst,' and optimism, which means 'best.' Meliorism is the idea that progress is real and that humans can intervene in natural processes to improve the world. Social meliorism posits that education can improve society by increasing individual intelligence, regardless of background. 

Today, in an age of internet-educated researchers and policymakers, can studies of human psychology help with choosing the right precautionary methods on an individual or national level? Beyond war, conflicts, and economic dimensions, this unpredictable chaos also has a mental and spiritual dimension. People are afraid, frustrated, and distressed in the face of this unprecedented wave of international political events. Here, scholars can offer some guidance with their research on the concepts of meliorism and 'moralogy' (kindness, forgiveness, and other moral values) and how to approach life more meaningfully.

E-mail: rubaiulmurshed@shomman.org