Word embeddings reveal an expanding moral circle

The Enlightenment idea of historical moral progress asserts that civil societies become more moral over time. This progress is often depicted as an expanding moral circle, and is thought to be driven by language which fosters greater concern for the welfare of others. Our research supports this notion by examining historical trends in natural language use during the 19th and 20th centuries. We found that the associations between words denoting moral concern and words referring to people, animals, and the environment grew stronger over time. This suggests that moral progress is associated with changes in language that are consistent with an expanding moral circle.