Adams approaches the entire span of mankind’s history on earth from the point of view of “progress” and “forces,” for which he has specific definitions. His theory “defines Progress as the development and economy of forces.” “Force” can be anything that produces work; but he also speaks, perhaps more importantly, of the “attractive force” of opposing bodies, the gravitational pull of an entity. He applies his theory to what he considers to be the major divisions of history. The first runs from the dawn of time to 3000 B.C. (the date of the pyramids). Second is the period from 3000 B.C. to 1000 A.D., concerned primarily with economies of energy rather than their development, according to Adams. The era from 1000 to 1800 features declining energy of the Church and increasing interest in science. In the nineteenth century, scientific discovery begins to grow. Finally, Adams is concerned about the future, which will require a new kind of intelligence.
