02487cam a22003253u 4500 50289 UtSlPG 20260610134145.0 m cr n 260607r2015||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d 13009158 UtSlPG en iso639-1 HM Wallace, Alfred Russel, 1823-1913 Social Environment and Moral Progress Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2015 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2015-10-23 Produced by MWS, Adrian Mastronardi, Michael Zeug, Lisa Reigel, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net, in celebration of Distributed Proofreaders' 15th Anniversary, using images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. "Social Environment and Moral Progress" by Alfred Russel Wallace is a scientific publication written in the early 20th century. The work explores the complex relationship between morality and the social environment, delving into how morality has evolved and what influences it. The author emphasizes that moral progress is contingent upon the social context in which individuals operate, questioning the inherent understanding of right and wrong across different cultures and epochs. The opening of the text introduces the concept of moral progress, urging readers to consider that standards of morality shift significantly over time and between societies. Wallace critiques the notion that moral understanding is instinctual, pointing out that moral values often reflect societal conventions rather than universally inherent truths. He systematically lays out the groundwork for examining morality's historical foundations, illustrating his argument with historical examples, such as the shifting perceptions surrounding slavery. This sets the tone for a thorough exploration of how humanity’s moral framework is shaped by social conditions, the historical context of these morals, and the need for a careful selection process to foster moral improvement. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Natural selection Social ethics https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50289 91127 91127