>> The OP article gives the misleading impression that society's changing values are mostly due to moral progress ... But it's almost certainly the case that yo

>> The OP article gives the misleading impression that society's changing values are mostly due to moral progress ... But it's almost certainly the case that you can explain the vast majority of the change by economic developments Not to refute your point, but there is a further interesting dynamic described in the article: feedback. English legal practice is based on precedent in common law. There is a ratchet effect whereby past rulings influence: subsequent rulings; behaviour (morality) of citizens; perhaps too, laws subsequently enacted by those citizens' elected leaders. I suspect the OP, who is connected to the Santa Fe institute, is interested in exploring such an emergent system.