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Sunny Jackson

What is Ethical Culture? | Ethical Society Without Walls - 0 views

  • Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity
  • For Ethical Humanists, the ultimate religious questions are not about the existence of gods or an afterlife, but rather, "How can we create meaningfulness in this life?" and "How should we treat each other?"
  • In order for human beings to have good lives, love must prevail, truth must be respected, honesty esteemed, justice secured, and freedom protected.
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  • Members are not bound by any community creed or dogma. Rather, Ethical Societies emphasize the importance of developing a clear personal philosophy that makes your life understandable and meaningful.
  • Learning to benefit from a diversity of viewpoints is one of the challenges of membership. Members encourage each other to think freely and to disagree without being disagreeable.
  • When we stimulate our thinking with new insights, information, and inspirations, our understanding of the world evolves, and we realize the full capacity of our human spirit.
  • It is by acting in a way that encourages the finest characteristics in others that we bring out the best in ourselves.
  • We treat all people as having an inherent capacity for fairness, kindness, and living ethically.
  • When we put into practice ethical principles such as love, justice, honesty, and forgiveness, we experience harmony within ourselves and in our relationships.
  • Ethics, most broadly, is the study of human behavior and its consequences in the light of what is ideally possible.
  • ethics define the social conditions necessary for human beings to thrive.
  • Ethics Begins with Choice
  • we choose to treat each other as unique individuals having intrinsic worth
  • We Seek to Act with Integrity
  • we learn to act with integrity. This includes keeping commitments, and being honest, open, caring and responsive.
  • The most central human issue in our lives is creating a more humane environment.
  • Creating a more humane environment begins by affirming the need to make significant choices in our lives.
  • We are Committed to Educate Ourselves
  • Personal progress is possible, both in wisdom and social life
  • Learning how to build ethical relationships and cultivate a humane community is a life-long endeavor.
  • Shape a More Humane World
  • people are social, needing both primary relationships and larger supportive groups to become fully human
  • Our social nature requires that we reach beyond ourselves to decrease suffering and increase creativity in the world.
  • respect for the worth of persons requires democratic process, which elicits and allows a greater expression of human capacities
Sunny Jackson

Bundlr - Humanism 101 - 0 views

shared by Sunny Jackson on 24 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • alternative to traditional religion and to authoritarian and other oppressive social attitudes
  • rights of religious and philosophical dissenters
  • Humanism is a life stance
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  • Humanism aims at the fullest possible development of every human being
  • Humanism supports democracy and human rights
  • Human Rights Commission
  • Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief
  • achieved only with the strength of humanity's own moral and intellectual resources
  • rights to individual self-determination, human rights and freedom of belief
  • Humanists are committed to tolerant pluralism and human rights
  • Humanism provides a way of understanding our universe in naturalistic rather than in supernatural terms
  • a life stance rooted in rational thinking
  • Humanism insists that personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility
  • The similarities between the beliefs and values of the different groups - even ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ Humanists - is more fundamental and more important than the different groups
  • humanism Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality. See also the Amsterdam Declaration.
  • Humanism is undogmatic, imposing no creed upon its adherents. It is thus committed to education free from indoctrination.
    • Sunny Jackson
       
      This means that is subject to change
  • fundamental principles of modern Humanism
  • British Ethical Union
  • Guided by the spirit of human solidarity
  • an alternative to dogmatic religion
  • Humanists promote free inquiry which is the basis of the scientific spirit
  • Humanism ventures to build a world on the idea of the free person responsible to society, and recognises our dependence on and responsibility for the natural world
  • seeks to use science creatively
  • Humanism is rational
  • Amsterdam Declaration
  • Coalition for Freedom of Religion or Belief
  • where people do feel that their beliefs are ‘Humanist’ they should use the word
  • Humanism is also a philosophy of human freedom
  • as a living philosophy, Humanism constantly enriches itself with the progress of knowledge
  • defends human rights and promotes humanist values world-wide
  • UN Human Rights Council
  • humanist A person who adheres to or advocates humanism, a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives.
  • Humanism is ethical. It affirms the worth, dignity and autonomy of the individual and the right of every human being to the greatest possible freedom compatible with the rights of others.
  • Human Rights Council
  • Humanists believe that the solutions to the world's problems lie in human thought and action
  • Humanism recognises that reliable knowledge of the world and ourselves arises through a continuing process. of observation, evaluation and revision.
  • ethics grounded in human values
  • Humanists aim for a social order in which individual freedom and dignity, social justice, fundamental rights and the rule of civilised law are protected
  • the outcome of a long tradition of free thought
  • human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives
  • Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance
  • Humanism advocates the application of the methods of science and free inquiry to the problems of human welfare
  • The Humanist movement has its symbol, the happy human, introduced by the BHA in 1965, and widely adopted both nationally and internationally
  • the official defining statement of World Humanism
  • human rights Universal rights to which every person is entitled
  • Commission on Human Rights
  • rationalist
  • humanist
  • rationalism The view that knowledge is aquired through reason, without the aid of the senses. Perhaps the best example of such knowledge would be mathematical knowledge, but rationalists typically argue that many other important truths can also be grasped by reason.
  • atheist
  • Humanists have a duty of care to all of humanity including future generations.
  • fundamentals of modern Humanism
  • Humanists reject absolute authorities and revealed wisdoms
  • freethought An intellectual and cultural movement. A freethinker is a religious unbeliever who forms his or her judgments about religion using reason rather than relying on tradition, authority, faith, or established belief.
  • freethinking
  • rationalist
  • justified by a moral standard that stands above the laws of any individual nation
  • European Humanist Federation
  • secularism A neutral attitude, especially of the State, local government and public services, in matters relating to religion; non-religious rather than anti-religious.
  • Humanists continuously explore ways of extending responsible freedom and happiness in our increasingly complex world
  • secularist
  • skeptic
  • laique
  • ethical cultural
  • freethought
  • rationalist
  • Humanists believe that morality is an intrinsic part of human nature based on understanding and a concern for others, needing no external sanction.
  • Humanists consider human experience to be the only source of knowledge and ethics
  • It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities
  • the application of science and technology must be tempered by human values
  • International Humanist Award
  • Humanism values artistic creativity and imagination and recognises the transforming power of art. Humanism affirms the importance of literature, music, and the visual and performing arts for personal development and fulfilment.
  • Humanists believe in intellectual integrity, and do not allow custom to replace conscience
  • Science gives us the means but human values must propose the ends
  • mandated to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all rights
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • skeptic A philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge
  • rationalist Rationalists believe that reason alone is sufficient to gain knowledge of the world.
  • Rationalists started with Plato, and include Descartes, Leibniz and Spinoza.
  • The mandate includes preventing human rights violations, securing respect for all human rights and promoting international cooperation to protect human rights.
  • Humanism is a lifestance aiming at the maximum possible fulfilment through the cultivation of ethical and creative living and offers an ethical and rational means of addressing the challenges of our times
  • buddhiwadi
  • rationalism
  • Humanism can be a way of life for everyone everywhere
  • utilising free inquiry, the power of science and creative imagination for the furtherance of peace and in the service of compassion
  • we have the means to solve the problems that confront us all
  • We have a world to change. We need your help to change it!
  • World Congress of Humanists
Sunny Jackson

Ethical movement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

  • Ethical Culture is premised on the idea that honoring and living in accordance with ethical principles is central to what it takes to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, and to creating a world that is good for all. Practitioners of Ethical Culture focus on supporting one another in becoming better people, and on doing good in the world.
  • Felix Adler said "Ethical Culture is religious to those who are religiously minded, and merely ethical to those who are not so minded."
  • if we relate to others in a way that brings out their best, we will at the same time elicit the best in ourselves
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  • By the "best" in each person, we refer to his or her unique talents and abilities that affirm and nurture life.
  • We use the term "spirit" to refer to a person’s unique personality and to the love, hope, and empathy that exists in human beings.
  • When we act to elicit the best in others, we encourage the growing edge of their ethical development, their perhaps as-yet untapped but inexhaustible worth.
  • Human Worth and Uniqueness – All people are taken to have inherent worth, not dependent on the value of what they do. They are deserving of respect and dignity, and their unique gifts are to be encouraged and celebrated.
  • Eliciting the Best – "Always act so as to Elicit the best in others, and thereby yourself"
  • we are all interrelated, with each person playing a role in the whole and the whole affecting each person
  • Our interrelatedness is at the heart of ethics.
arowynd

Humanism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

shared by arowynd on 22 May 13 - Cached
  • Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view, or practice that focuses on human values and concerns, attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters
  • Secular humanism is a secular ideology that espouses reason, ethics, and justice, whilst specifically rejecting supernatural and religious dogma as a basis of morality and decision-making.
  • Secular humanism contrasts with religious humanism, which is an integration of humanist ethical philosophy with religious rituals and beliefs that center on human needs, interests, and abilities.
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  • humanity must seek for truth through reason and the best observable evidence
  • decisions about right and wrong must be based on the individual and common good
  • Humanism does not consider metaphysical issues such as the existence or nonexistence of supernatural beings
  • living up to one's potential is hard work and requires the help of others
  • The focus is on doing good and living well in the here and now, and leaving the world a better place for those who come after.
  • a comprehensive life stance or world view which embraces human reason, metaphysical naturalism, altruistic morality and distributive justice
  • Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities.
Sunny Jackson

Bundlr - Humanism 101 - 0 views

  • reliance on reason, evidence, and free inquiry
  • considers the welfare of humankind - rather than the welfare of a supposed God or gods - to be of paramount importance
  • affirms our ability and responsibility to lead meaningful, ethical lives
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  • people can find purpose in life and maximize their long-term happiness by developing their talents and using those talents for the service of humanity
  • human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives
  • a democratic and ethical lifestance
  • value knowledge based on reason and hard evidence
  • this is the only life
  • adding to the greater good of humanity
  • using human efforts to meet human needs
  • recognizes human beings as a part of nature
  • supporters of the principle of separation of church and state
  • humanity must take responsibility for its own destiny
  • individual freedom
  • represents a consensus of what all or almost all Humanists believe
  • universal human dignity
  • we owe it to ourselves and others to make it the best life possible for ourselves and all
  • values-be they religious, ethical, social, or political-have their source in human experience and culture
  • an uncreated universe that obeys natural laws
  • service to others is a major focus of Humanism
  • stands for the building of a more humane society
  • people's fulfillment by personal effort
  • knowledge can be obtained through rational thought and experimentation
  • advocates the extension of participatory democracy
  • Humanists believe in and value love, equality, peace, freedom and reason
  • derives the goals of life from human need
  • accept democracy
  • the preciousness and dignity of the individual person is a central humanist value
  • an approach to life based on reason and our common humanity, recognizing that moral values are properly founded on human nature and experience
  • a philosophy, world view, or lifestance
  • a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion
  • Humanist values are mainstream American values
  • when people are free to think for themselves, using reason and knowledge as their tools, they are best able to solve this world's problems
  • the open society, standing for human rights and social justice
  • Humanists take responsibility for their own lives and relish the adventure of being part of new discoveries, seeking new knowledge, exploring new options
  • a philosophy
  • Since most believe that an afterlife is non-existent, they regard life here on earth to be particularly precious
  • ethics based on human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities
  • nature is all that exists or is real
  • Affirming the dignity of each human being
  • many people realize that they are already humanists and just did not know
  • Humanists stand for the building of a more humane, just, compassionate, and democratic society using a pragmatic ethics based on human reason, experience, and reliable knowledge-an ethics that judges the consequences of human actions by the well-being of all life on Earth.
  • Although religious texts can teach good lessons, they also advocate fear, intolerance, hate and ignorance.
  • highly motivated to alleviating pain and misery around the world
  • Secular Humanism a non-religiously based philosophy
  • supports the maximization of individual liberty and opportunity consonant with social and planetary responsibility
  • Humanists view this natural world as wondrous and precious, and as offering limitless opportunities for exploration, fascination, creativity, companionship, and joy
  • All quotes from religious texts were checked by scripture scholars to ensure accuracy, context and proper translation. 
  • value freedom of inquiry, expression and action
  • have a history of combating bigotry, hatred, discrimination, intolerance and censorship
  • truth could be discovered by human effort
  • humans have the freedom to give meaning, value, and purpose to their lives by their own independent thought, free inquiry, and responsible, creative activity
  • moral values derive their source from human experience
  • humanists enjoy the open-endedness of a quest and the freedom of discovery
  • Humanism considers the universe to be the result of an extremely long and complex evolution under immutable laws of nature
  • Humanists seek to understand the universe by using science and its methods of critical inquiry-logical reasoning, empirical evidence, and skeptical evaluation of conjectures and conclusions-to obtain reliable knowledge
  • The rights of men and women should be equal and sacred
  • a philosophy centered upon the needs and interests of people
  • marriage should be a perfect partnership
  • love coupled with empathy, democracy, and a commitment to selfless service
  • secular humanist values are consistent with mainstream America
  • fundamentalist religion has no right to claim the moral high ground
  • Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in God.
  • the lack of any evidence for an afterlife means this life should be lived as though it's the only one we have
  • When people view the Bible as the word of a just and omniscient God, and attempt to have society's laws and social practices reflect biblical teachings, serious error and harm will occur if the Bible was actually written by fallible humans who lived in an unenlightened era.
  • When the subjects involve governmental issues, all of society can be affected
  • In most communities, an opposing view is rarely, if ever, heard
  • It would instead perpetuate the ideas of an ignorant and superstitious past - and prevent humanity from rising to a higher level.
  • written solely by humans
  • it contains numerous contradictions
  • The Bible is an unreliable authority
  • The massive and incessant promotion of the Bible significantly influences the beliefs of millions
  • Humanists also reject the Bible because it approves of outrageous cruelty and injustice.
  • because so many people have been told the Bible is the "Good Book," biblical teachings shape the attitudes of millions
  • Humanity’s condition could be greatly improved if those resources were used for solving the world's problems instead of worshiping a nonexistent God.
  • Logically, if two statements are contradictory, at least one of them is false.
  • the suffering of the innocent is the essence of injustice
  • the book has many false statements and is not infallible
  • the Bible teaches that God repeatedly violated this moral precept by harming innocent people
  • Instances of cruel and unjust behavior by the biblical God are seen in the most basic Christian doctrines.
  • hundreds of contradictions mean there are at least hundreds of incorrect statements in the Bible
  • because the writers of the Bible lived in an unenlightened era, the book contains many errors and harmful teachings
  • Each contradiction is an instance where at least one of the verses is wrong.
Sunny Jackson

With Liberty & Justice for All | The Humanist - 0 views

  • The world urgently needs more liberty and justice, and therefore more humanism.
  • The ethical system of humanism prioritizes these ideals at a higher level than any belief system that precedes it
  • it values the life of every person in this world
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  • Societies that prioritize private liberty to excess, that let individuals accumulate all the powers they can, find that vast inequalities emerge. Those inequalities congeal into hierarchical social classes and rigid castes and severely restrict freedom of opportunity for all but the privileged and wealthy.
  • bonded in mutual support
  • this worldly life is one of mutual reliance, every person depending on so many others
  • reasonable humanism
  • The individual needs freedoms within a supportive society, while society needs individuals to support the whole.
  • Humanism emerges as individuals abandon submission to religious traditions and gods that their reasoning cannot justify.
  • Humanism seeks greater freedoms and opportunities for individuals as they expand their capacities, yet humanism also fights for social justice when novel social structures disempower peoples or entire societies.
  • Humanism works best as a liberating ethos within cultures as they try to balance liberty and justice.
  • it is fundamentally about responsibility
  • that which each individual owes others, and also what society owes to each individual
  • trying to gradually improve people’s lives
  • regardless of any cultural pieties that stand stubbornly in the way
  • starts with actual people as they really are, culture and all
  • practical value
  • logical thought
  • the aim of humanistic reform is not progress towards a static abstract truth
  • It isn’t necessary to know what is ethically perfect before you can know what is morally reprehensible.
  • ethics of liberty and justice for all
  • Balancing liberty and justice in healthy proportions is wiser than naively supposing that both can be maximized
  • organizing against oppressive powers
  • reasonable public discussion
  • permanent reform by nonviolent and democratic means
  • it smartly keeps its means consistent with its ends
  • Humanism is the stance of vigilance for new forms of repression and oppression
  • debating values and priorities
  • alleviate suffering and decay
  • Any list of principles and ideals from humanist manifestos and resolutions at most affirm priorities for constant vigilance and standards that work for humanistic cultures so far.
  • The personal and social ethics of humanism in its details must be ever-changing
  • the practical meanings to such things as “equal dignity and worth” and “social justice” gradually develop as cultures slowly transform
  • people hundreds of years in the future will find fault with our ways
  • We may achieve better liberty and justice in our lifetimes
  • Even our moral successes today will be regarded as immoral compromises by distant generations; they’ll point to our fine ideals, our imperfect reach, and our impotent blindness.
  • Humanism asks everyone to question old pieties using common sense and an open heart, without forgetting that these human resources are within everyone.
  • Humanism can’t respect blind cultural piety, but it does recognize that religion is hardly the only source of oppression.
  • sound minds and good hearts are always needed as allies
  • Humanism urges principles of ethical wisdom for each person, without demanding submission to some wisdom tradition.
  • we must forcefully sustain its radical spirit of outrage against any degradation to humanity anywhere
  • humanism fights for greater opportunity and empowerment of each individual
  • humanity deserves nothing less than liberty and justice for all
Sunny Jackson

HUMANISM: Public school teaching, ethics, is it a religion? - 0 views

  • A non-religious approach to human sexuality would make use of the latest findings about sexual orientation; they would teach that bisexuality, heterosexuality and homosexuality are natural and human sexual variations.
  • non-religious approach to human sexuality would make use of the latest findings about sexual orientation; they would teach that bisexuality, heterosexuality and homosexuality are natural and human sexual variations
  • Public Schools are required to base their curriculum on secularism because of the principle of separation of church and state which the U.S. Supreme Court has said is implicit in the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
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  • Humanists have successfully developed moral and ethical systems which are independent of divine revelation
  • foundational beliefs
  • Systems of morality and ethics can be developed through mutual agreement much like we develop laws and social customs
  • based upon common needs that humans have for survival, security, personal growth and love
  • Humans are social animals who can make the greatest achievements through mutual cooperation
  • reasonable
  • effective
  • lead to self esteem
  • consistent with one's natural feelings of caring, compassion and sympathy
  • do not lead to condemnation or rejection
  • accepted
  • Humanists do not generally believe in a supreme deity or deities, demons, ghosts, angels, or in a supernatural world, or in heaven and hell, or in a divinely ordained ethical code for humans to follow. Most would regard the Gods and Goddesses as a creation of mankind
  • Religious Humanism has been loosely defined as religion without deity worship and traditional theological beliefs
  • a belief in the scientific method as the best way to determine truth
  • philosophical and educational in nature
  • The ARIS study of 2001 showed that 76.5% of American adults consider themselves to be Christian. The Canadian Census of the same year showed that 76.6% of Canadian adults consider themselves to be Christian.
Sunny Jackson

HOW DO HUMANISTS FIND MEANING, PURPOSE, VALUES, AND MORALS IN LIFE - 0 views

  • Humanism is a philosophy, worldview, or life stance based on naturalism--the conviction that the universe or nature is all that exists or is real
  • Humanism serves, for many humanists, some of the psychological and social functions of a religion, but without belief in deities, transcendental entities, miracles, life after death, and the supernatural
  • Humanists seek to understand the universe by using science and its methods of critical inquiry--logical reasoning, empirical evidence, and skeptical evaluation of conjectures and conclusions--to obtain reliable knowledge
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  • Humanists affirm that humans have the freedom to give meaning, value, and purpose to their lives by their own independent thought, free inquiry, and responsible, creative activity
  • Humanists stand for the building of a more humane, just, compassionate, and democratic society using a realistic ethics based on human reason, experience, and reliable knowledge--an ethics that judges the consequences of human actions by the well-being of all life on Earth
  • umanists stand for the building of a more humane, just, compassionate, and democratic society using a realistic ethics based on human reason, experience, and reliable knowledge--an ethics that judges the consequences of human actions by the well-being of all life on Earth
  • it depends on how you define religion
Sunny Jackson

Amsterdam Declaration 2002 | International Humanist and Ethical Union - 0 views

  • the official defining statement of World Humanism
  • Humanism is ethical. It affirms the worth, dignity and autonomy of the individual and the right of every human being to the greatest possible freedom compatible with the rights of others.
  • Humanists have a duty of care to all of humanity including future generations.
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  • Humanists believe that morality is an intrinsic part of human nature based on understanding and a concern for others, needing no external sanction.
  • Humanism is rational. It seeks to use science creatively, not destructively. Humanists believe that the solutions to the world's problems lie in human thought and action rather than divine intervention.
  • Humanism advocates the application of the methods of science and free inquiry to the problems of human welfare. But Humanists also believe that the application of science and technology must be tempered by human values.
  • Humanism supports democracy and human rights. Humanism aims at the fullest possible development of every human being. It holds that democracy and human development are matters of right. The principles of democracy and human rights can be applied to many human relationships and are not restricted to methods of government.
  • Humanism insists that personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility. Humanism ventures to build a world on the idea of the free person responsible to society, and recognises our dependence on and responsibility for the natural world.
  • Humanism is undogmatic, imposing no creed upon its adherents. It is thus committed to education free from indoctrination.
  • Humanism is a response to the widespread demand for an alternative to dogmatic religion. The world's major religions claim to be based on revelations fixed for all time, and many seek to impose their world-views on all of humanity.
  • Humanism recognises that reliable knowledge of the world and ourselves arises through a continuing process. of observation, evaluation and revision.
  • Humanism values artistic creativity and imagination and recognises the transforming power of art. Humanism affirms the importance of literature, music, and the visual and performing arts for personal development and fulfilment.
  • Humanism is a lifestance aiming at the maximum possible fulfilment through the cultivation of ethical and creative living and offers an ethical and rational means of addressing the challenges of our times. Humanism can be a way of life for everyone everywhere.
Sunny Jackson

Introduction to Humanism - 0 views

  • knowledge can be obtained through rational thought and experimentation
  • developed into the scientific method and is the major underpinning of all sciences today
  • a philosophy centered upon the needs and interests of people
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  • truth could be discovered by human effort
  • rationalism
  • free thought
  • rational philosophy
  • Many regard Socrates as the first and greatest of the Humanists
  • value knowledge based on reason and hard evidence rather than on faith
  • the preciousness and dignity of the individual person is a central humanist value
  • universe that obeys natural laws
  • rejection of divinely inspired ethical and moral codes in favor of codes derived by reason from the human condition
  • full responsibility for the future of the world, its political systems, its ecology, etc. rests with humans. There is no God in heaven to intervene and save us
  • religious groups' "promises of immortal salvation or fear of eternal damnation are both illusory and harmful."
  • reject both theocracy and secular dictatorships as political systems that are dangerous to individual freedoms
  • accept democracy
  • value freedom of inquiry, expression and action
  • combating bigotry, hatred, discrimination, intolerance and censorship
  • supporters of the principle of separation of church and state
  • moral values derive their source from human experience
  • regard life here on earth to be particularly precious
  • highly motivated to alleviating pain and misery around the world
  • human rights
  • it represents a consensus of what Humanists do believe
  • Knowledge of the world is derived by observation, experimentation, and rational analysis
  • Humans are an integral part of nature, the result of unguided evolutionary change
  • Ethical values are derived from human need and interest as tested by experience
  • Life’s fulfillment emerges from individual participation in the service of humane ideals
  • Humans are social by nature and find meaning in relationships
  • Working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness
  • Isaac Asimov
  • scientist and author
  • literary freedom activist
  • Margaret Atwood
  • Brock Chisholm
  • conceiver of the Theory of Relativity
  • Albert Einstein
  • Betty Friedan
  • feminist activist
  • R. Buckminster Fuller
  • futurist and inventor
  • United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization
  • Julian Huxley
  • Richard Leakey
  • Abraham Maslow
  • creator of Third Force Psychology
  • John Boyd Orr
  • human rights activist
  • A. Philip Randolf
  • creator of Client Centered Therapy
  • Carl Rogers
  • Bertrand Russell
  • developer of the polio vaccine
  • Jonas Salk
  • Margaret Sanger
  • Andrei Sakharov
  • Gloria Steinem
  • American Humanist Association
  • Humanism and its aspirations
  • Humanism and Its Aspirations
Sunny Jackson

Humanist Manifesto III - 0 views

  • Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.
  • guided by reason, inspired by compassion, and informed by experience
  • values and ideals, however carefully wrought, are subject to change as our knowledge and understandings advance
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  • not what we must believe but a consensus of what we do believe
  • Knowledge of the world is derived by observation, experimentation, and rational analysis.
  • Ethical values are derived from human need and interest as tested by experience.
  • and to making informed choices in a context of freedom consonant with responsibility
  • We are committed to treating each person as having inherent worth and dignity
  • Life's fulfillment emerges from individual participation in the service of humane ideals.
  • Humanists long for and strive toward a world of mutual care and concern, free of cruelty and its consequences, where differences are resolved cooperatively without resorting to violence.
  • The joining of individuality with interdependence enriches our lives, encourages us to enrich the lives of others, and inspires hope of attaining peace, justice, and opportunity for all.
  • Working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness.
  • We seek to minimize the inequities of circumstance and ability
  • committed to diversity
  • Humanists are concerned for the well being of all
  • respect those of differing yet humane views
  • uphold the equal enjoyment of human rights and civil liberties
  • humanity has the ability to progress toward its highest ideals
  • The responsibility for our lives and the kind of world in which we live is ours and ours alone.
Sunny Jackson

Glossary | International Humanist and Ethical Union - 0 views

  • affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives
  • democratic and ethical life stance
  • It stands for the building of a more humane society
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  • in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities
Sunny Jackson

Ethics - Quora - 0 views

shared by Sunny Jackson on 07 Jul 13 - No Cached
Sunny Jackson

Council for Secular Humanism - 0 views

  • secular humanists don't believe in a God or an afterlife
  • the remarkable thing about the United States is precisely that it was created as a secular republic organized around the rights and freedoms of its citizens
  • secular humanism says the morality of actions should be judged by their consequences
  • ...57 more annotations...
  • There is no central authority
  • People come to secular humanism by following their own curiosity and reasoning
  • secular humanism is not so much a body of beliefs as a method for reaching understanding
  • It is an approach to life that tries to be positive, rational, realistic, and open-minded
  • we are not expressing a doctrine
  • doing our best to state the consensus shared
  • Secular humanists believe morality and meaning come from humanity and the natural world
  • It is our human values that give us rights, responsibilities, and dignity.
  • We believe that morality should aim to bring out the best in people, so that all people can have the best in life.
  • morality must be based on our knowledge of human nature and the real world
  • treat others with the same consideration as you would have them treat you
  • the common moral decencies - for example, people should not lie, steal, or kill; and they should be honest, generous, and cooperative - really are conducive to human welfare
  • Humanists realize that individuals alone cannot solve all our problems, but instead of turning to the supernatural, we believe that problems are solved by people working together, relying on understanding and creativity
  • humanists are committed to promoting human values, human understanding, and human development
  • Humanists also emphasize the importance of self-determination - the right of individuals to control their own lives, so long as they do not harm others
  • freedom of choice
  • people create their own meaning and purpose in life
  • The value and significance of life comes from how we live life, not from some supposed transcendent realm
  • The moral differences between secular humanism and religion do not justify the allegation that secular humanist have no morals. This claim is not an argument, just an insult.
  • Nonreligious, humanistic moral systems existed before Christianity
  • the Epicureans, Skeptics, and Stoics of classical Greece and Rome
  • the common moral decencies are found throughout the cultures of the world
  • The most important moral and political concepts of the modern era have developed out of humanistic thinking
  • You will search the Bible in vain for opposition to slavery or support for democracy and equality
  • neither the Supreme Court, nor this circuit, has ever held that evolutionism or secular humanism are `religions'
  • they refused to reverse a ruling that secular humanism is not a religion
  • Secular humanism is not a religion by any definition: There are no supernatural beliefs, no creeds that all humanists are required to accept, no sacred texts or required rituals. Humanists are not expected or required to have "faith" in what is said by any authority, living or dead, human or "supernatural."
  • humanists derive their meaning and values from the natural world. Secular humanism is a naturalistic, nonreligious worldview
  • humanists don't worship anything
  • Humanity's constant challenge is to understand itself and improve itself
  • We don't pretend that our ethics and values are divine: we recognize that they are human, and therefore part of nature
  • individual secular humanists differ
  • the human species has evolved by the same natural processes as every other species
  • some of our most treasured traits, such as language and the ability to understand and care for others, are on an evolutionary continuum with communicative and cooperative behaviors of other animals
  • humans have a moral responsibility towards the rest of the natural world
  • secular humanists cover a wide spectrum
  • One political view that secular humanists do share is unswerving support for democracy, freedom, and human rights
  • All secular humanists are utterly opposed to totalitarian systems
  • The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights contain no references to God or Christianity. Their only references to religion establish freedom of religion and separation of church and state
  • The motto on the Great Seal of the United States, unchanged since its adoption in 1782, is E Pluribus Unum ("From Many, One")
  • The Pledge of Allegiance did not contain an oath to God, until it was added in the 1950s
  • In 1797 the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Treaty of Tripoli which stated that "the government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion."
  • secular humanism encourages people to think for themselves and question authority
  • on the basis of shared philosophical principles and ideals
  • The myth that secular humanists are unAmerican is an insult to the patriotism and distinguished service of millions of people.
  • all beliefs are fallible and provisional, and that diversity and dialogue are essential to the process of learning and developing
  • we value tolerance, pluralism, and open-mindedness as positive and beneficial qualities in society
  • Humanists are staunch supporters of freedom of religion, belief, and conscience, as laid out in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These rights protect the freedom of religious belief equally with the freedom of nonreligious belief, the freedom of religion equally with the freedom from religion.
  • the neutrality of a secular society
  • Secular humanists believe that a healthy society supports a variety of worldviews
  • We also believe that religious and philosophical views should be every bit as open to debate and discussion as political beliefs.
  • All these claims make the same mistake: they confuse neutrality with hostility
  • neutrality toward different worldviews is the best protection from persecution
  • Separating church and state doesn't mean that the state promotes atheism and humanism, but that it provides equal protection to all beliefs
  • The amoral, power-hungry "secular humanist" conspiracy described by some religious conservatives is a myth
  • the vibrant movement that champions a moral approach to living based on reason and happiness is alive and growing
  • there are secular humanists. But no, there is no bogeyman.
Sunny Jackson

Hopeful☀Heathens - 0 views

  • When you’re religious, you see the world through a lens. You have an entirely different mindset.
  • You become condescending and feel as though yourself as an entity is worth more than whoever you’re talking to.
  • Every accomplishment of yours is not technically yours
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  • You’re not an individual
  • Nothing matters because you’ll be going to heaven eventually, which causes you to miss out on many of the joys in life that you’ll never get back. 
  • When I finally decided that I didn’t believe in God anymore, it freed my mind. It freed me of living in constant guilt
  • It made me appreciate and marvel at nature so much more because there was nothing to attribute its beauty to other than the scientific processes that resulted in it.
  • I had a much more open mind
  • I stopped judging people
  • I am now an individual with my own morals and ethics and philosophy and achievements that I have accomplished through my own means.
  • I’m really happy to be an atheist, and I don’t plan on changing that any time soon.
  •  We adapted in such a way that we can thrive in the world around us.  In such a way that we can observe it and make decisions about what we like about it.  And I think that is part of the reason why beauty even exists.
  • in order to be genuinely happy, you have to find happiness in yourself
  •  If a doctor is telling you a treatment plan, you should probably listen.
  • I know your brain is telling you that there is no hope, but you cannot listen to yourself.
  • there are plenty of things to be hopeful about
  • you need to live in the moment
  • worrying about the future ruins the moment, and the moment is what the future is built on
  •  If you’re not living for happiness in the moment, your future is going to be spent wondering where you went wrong
  • if you are depressed, you cannot listen to your brain
  •  You have to train yourself to be happy, and that can be the biggest challenge there is.
  • I am always here to listen if you are having a rough time, because I know how hard it can be, and I would have given anything to have a shoulder to cry on
  • if I can be that shoulder for you now, I will gladly assume the role.
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