""I'm not too sure how a belief that Society advances, unless prevented by people who don't see natural selection as the only game in town, is consistent with the principle that evolution has no room for the concept of advance or progress.""

I don't know McG, I see that as mixing two arguments.

Evolution has little to do with the development within a species in the period during which it exists, other than having led to that species and determined its longevity or otherwise.

What that species achieves during its lifespan is a matter of ability, not evolution.

The concept that evolution has an agenda, or concern for an end game is false.

It is not a reasoning entity and lacks any capability to care about the end results of its operation. The first species to develop true self awareness happened perchance to be mankind, and self awareness permits the existence of an agenda.

IMHO, of course! YMMV.

Don T.