Progress assumes telos (purpose). There is no quest for progress because progress is not an end in itself. Progress is change of state and has no ethical value. Change is neither good nor bad without an ethical standard. I could be progressing towards a degenerate sociopathic drunk. Is it good that I change my state in that direction or is it better to stay the same?

In this case the word progress is used in the context of Enlightenment liberal worldview and we know where that progress leads - nihilistic skittles brave new world.