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Derek Thompson: Progress means eliminating pain and expanding human agency

Derek Thompson · How To Build A Truly Abundant Future · Y Combinator · Apr 4, 2025 · at 23:11

Author Derek Thompson discusses the philosophical definition of technological progress with Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan.

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“One definition that I've used for myself is, is that progress is the elimination of pain and the increase in power for the most people, right? How do you find a way to reduce pain and increase power? Which is another way of saying agency.”

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