|
HUMANISM
AND ITS ASPIRATIONS
Humanist Manifesto III, a
successor to the Humanist Manifesto of 1933
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.
The lifestance of Humanism—guided by
reason, inspired by compassion, and informed by experience—encourages us
to live life well and fully. It evolved through the ages and continues to
develop through the efforts of thoughtful people who recognize that values and
ideals, however carefully wrought, are subject to change as our knowledge and
understandings advance.
This document is part of an ongoing effort to
manifest in clear and positive terms the conceptual boundaries of Humanism, not
what we must believe but a consensus of what we do believe. It is in this sense
that we affirm the following:
Knowledge of the world is
derived by observation, experimentation, and rational analysis. Humanists
find that science is the best method for determining this knowledge as well as
for solving problems and developing beneficial technologies. We also recognize
the value of new departures in thought, the arts, and inner
experience—each subject to analysis by critical
intelligence.
Humans are an integral part of nature, the result of
unguided evolutionary change. Humanists recognize nature as self-existing.
We accept our life as all and enough, distinguishing things as they are from
things as we might wish or imagine them to be. We welcome the challenges of the
future, and are drawn to and undaunted by the yet to be known.
Ethical values are derived from human need and interest as tested by
experience. Humanists ground values in human welfare shaped by human
circumstances, interests, and concerns and extended to the global ecosystem and
beyond. We are committed to treating each person as having inherent worth and
dignity, and to making informed choices in a context of freedom consonant with
responsibility.
Life’s fulfillment emerges from individual
participation in the service of humane ideals. We aim for our fullest
possible development and animate our lives with a deep sense of purpose,
finding wonder and awe in the joys and beauties of human existence, its
challenges and tragedies, and even in the inevitability and finality of death.
Humanists rely on the rich heritage of human culture and the lifestance of
Humanism to provide comfort in times of want and encouragement in times of
plenty.
Humans are social by nature and find meaning in
relationships. 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. Progressive cultures have worked to free humanity from the
brutalities of mere survival and to reduce suffering, improve society, and
develop global community. We seek to minimize the inequities of circumstance
and ability, and we support a just distribution of nature’s resources and
the fruits of human effort so that as many as possible can enjoy a good life.
Humanists are concerned for the well being of all, are committed to
diversity, and respect those of differing yet humane views. We work to uphold
the equal enjoyment of human rights and civil liberties in an open, secular
society and maintain it is a civic duty to participate in the democratic
process and a planetary duty to protect nature’s integrity, diversity, and
beauty in a secure, sustainable manner.
Thus engaged in the flow of
life, we aspire to this vision with the informed conviction that 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.
Humanist Manifesto is a trademark of the American
Humanist Association - © 2003
American Humanist
Association
Humanist Manifesto I
Humanist Manifesto II |
|
