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The Applied Humanist How
Freedom From Deities Shapes Humanist Values ABSTRACT: The historical
arc of modern humanist philosophy shows that the earlier humanist
philosophers’ background in religion gave them a unique perspective for the
segue into a full philosophy compatible with nontheism, agnosticism,
secularism, and atheism. The key was their recognition and insistence that
humanist values do not in any way depend on belief in one or more deities.
That recognition freed them to explore the true origin of human values. Their
conclusions informed their selection of values, such as truth, democracy, and
education, that make humanist philosophy such an excellent vehicle for
societal advancement. But by failing to root those values in something more
than "experience," humanism has left itself open to criticism as
only replacing gods with incorrigible human beings. This talk examines how
the "human" in humanism grounds humanist values, from human rights,
freedom, and liberty, to equal opportunity, social justice, and economic
equity, in the nature of human existence. |
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