"This lecture was intended to give a view of life that is based upon our known truths, as validated by our scientific method of learning about our world. One of the basic tenants of Humanism is that our knowledge is only tentative; as truth unfolds through discovery and research, generally using the scientific method, our beliefs and religious views should also grow and continually adapt to the changing world in which we live. If you were raised on a deserted island, without authorities telling you what you should believe, an intelligent person would naturally acquire the philosophy of humanism on their own."
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This is an excellent and comprehensive little book. It was written by an attorney who practices the "positive side of law"! Take the time to read it thoughtfully. It covers a lot of stuff. Here is the Addendum...
Addendum
A DECLARATION OF HUMANISM A Humanist Ethic
I.
Humanism is a philosophy, or an approach for living this life on earth. It starts with the premise that we are part of nature and only know for certain that we are living this life today. Certain aspects of life have value for living a good life. Consistent with this philosophy, I personally believe that the healthy person grows through the following stages, normally in this order. This is my philosophic ethical approach for living my life:
1. Existence. My body is my temple of life, and health is essential for my existence. This life is all that I know for certain that I possess.
2. Responsibility. I must assume the sole responsibility for my own life. My behavior is within my control. I can only make my choices as I live in the present.
3. Meaning. My life is meaningful to me to the extent my own needs are satisfied, and I achieve the homeostatic state of happiness. There need not be a universal purpose for my life to have meaning. My own life is sufficient as my purpose for living.
4. Security. To secure my opportunities, I must support justice for all, and respect the freedom of choice of everyone else. Justice is a progressive attainment of equality, limited only by the constraints of the uniqueness of each person. Force should be tolerated only to suppress force that would otherwise inflict a person's unwarranted will over another person.
5. Social Relations. Human interdependence is essential for health and growth. I must be willing to give mutual respect and trust to maintain close personal relationships. I recognize as love the relationship of inter-need dependence with others. I allow those I love within my defense mechanisms in order that we might share our lives together for our mutual support. I must allow all others to be themselves.
6. Actualization of Life. My purpose for living is to experience the joy of life, and to actualize my growth to my fullest potential as a human being, consistent with my responsibility to others, within the personal, environmental and social resources available to me. I have an awe and spiritual reverence for nature while living my own life as a part of our natural universe, recognizing that I am a Stewart of its resources each day while I am on earth. I do not live my life today searching for a future beyond my life on earth.
7. Commitment to Others. My life becomes significant to the extent I assist the growth of others to attain actualization of their own lives. I believe that the healthy, mature person will balance the meaningfulness of his or her own life with significance to others in order to achieve the highest quality of life. Only in consort and harmony with others will my own life reach its maximum potential.
8. Knowledge. I feel that it is essential to maintain the conditions of free inquiry, and an open society, in order to encourage the expression of all ideas because the expansion of knowledge can ultimately result in the best choices for the growth of everyone. I support using all means available for ascertaining the truth, and applying the results obtained in the most reliable manner that will improve the welfare of all life on earth. My values and standards are relative because they are allowed to modify in order that they may improve as I grow through my own experiences.
9. Social Institutions. Within my own resources, I encourage people I encounter, as well as governments and other institutions, to reduce and eliminate all barriers to growth, and to provide optimum conditions for the healthy development of all people. Democratic process assures the greatest opportunity for most people. We live in a world economy. World government should assure peace from physical conflict for all people on earth.
10. Interdependence of Life. I affirm the wonder and beauty of nature as the creative process from which humans have evolved; and I thereby recognize the unity and interdependence of, and feel respect for, all life on earth. All people must share responsibility for the maintenance of the ecological order. Life is sacred. However, over population of any species may threaten the opportunity for a quality life for all species. Humans are not an exception. Nature attempts to maintain a healthy balance. All living creatures on Earth must share our world together in harmony and balance if we are to survive and grow to our full potential.
II.
Additional expressions, such as an emotional attachment to a particular religious view, are personal, arising primarily from previous experiences that have oriented our own individual lives. We are each entitled to have our own. Therefore, such views should not be imposed upon others.
Lyle L. Simpson |
