Straw man argument, based on Social Darwinism. In other words, jlog is saying that history is a grand march of progress from the primitive to the advanced, and therefore anything from the past is primitive and ignorant, the present is partly illumined due to current scientific knowledge, and if we keep going in the same direction (fudning scientific research will plenty tax dollars of course), we will arrive at a glowing wise future. Kind of like the stupid gradeschool text books I've seen in the 80's - pictures of Mommy in a spacesuit cooking in a space kitchen, just pushing buttons. A materialistic Utopia. A fantasy.
The doctrine of Social Darwinism - which is based on a soulless, meaningless, purposeless universe, with no God in control, everything being accidental - still sees a purpose - that of its own false doctrines implemented, and its "march" of scientific enlightenment and perfection unhampered by those of us who see the universe in a different light. Note that Social Darwinism is the basis of Communism, socialism, and the other evil philosophies and systems mentioned above.
Straw man argument, based on Social Darwinism.
Sheesh! The comment was in reference to the 20th century discovery that diminished mental capacity is now a legal factor in culpability. In days of old, such mental problems were attributed to witchcraft, and they were burned forthwith.