Final answer:
Enlightenment thinkers are credited with the notion that societal conditions must change to improve individual behavior, reflecting the progressive philosophy that external change is essential for internal change. Figures like Immanuel Kant and Auguste Comte argued for human reason and the creation of sociology to understand and improve society, setting the stage for modernity and the adjustment to it.
Step-by-step explanation:
Progressive Philosophy and Social Change
The progressive philosopher who argued that external change must precede internal change was linked to the broader intellectual movement of Enlightenment thinking. He believed that to better individuals and society, the environment and conditions in which people lived had to be improved first. This stands in contrast to relying solely on religion and faith, which were inadequate for helping people adjust to the rapid transformations of modernity. The progressives emphasized the need for government intervention to prevent monopolies and protect the vulnerable, and while they held private property sacred, they also thought that change in societal conditions could lead to personal improvement. Enlightenment thinkers like Immanuel Kant and Auguste Comte provided foundations for this approach with their emphases on human reason and empirical observation, with Comte establishing the science of sociology.
The underlying belief was that society could be molded in ways that would encourage ethical behavior and personal development, surpassing the transformative power of religious institutions. The focus hence shifted to scientific, economic, and socio-political reforms to cultivate a better human condition. Even with good intentions, such perspectives could sometimes entail a patronizing view towards those deemed less developed or enlightened, both at home and in colonial contexts.