| Advocating progressive values and equality for humanists, atheists, and freethinkers |
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| Advocating progressive values and equality for humanists, atheists, and freethinkers |
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We all should be familiar with these statement of the Humanist worldview.
They are the original Humanist Manifesto (1933, Humanist Manifesto I), the Humanist Manifesto II (1973), and Humanism and Its Aspirations (2003, Humanist Manifesto III). The central theme of all three is the elaboration of a value system which does not include belief in any personal deity or "higher power". Although the three manifestos can be found in many places in the Internet, they each are included in -en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanist_Manifesto
Few persons have stated the philosophy of humanism with the perceptions and passions of Corliss Lamont. The last chapter focuses on the Affirmation of Life: the Ethics of Humanism, the Social Good and Individual Happiness, Humanism and Democracy, and a Humanist Civilization. The previous chapters are: The Meaning of Humanism, The Humanist Tradition, This Life Is All and Enough, Humanism's Theory of the Universe, and Reliance on Reason and Science. Most humanists have likely read this book ... a number of times. It is always an educational experience to revisit it.
The COHE courses are an invaluable contribution to adult humanist education. The six courses are on Humanist Activism and Organization, Science and Humanism, Psychology and Humanism, Law and Politics, Religion and Spirituality, and Ethics. But don't overlook the two lessons in the Introduction to Humanism. Lesson One provides a brief history of humanist thought and Lesson Two is called "The Contemporary Humanist Philosophy" Lifestance Humanism" Among other topics in this lesson is the one on the "Meaning and Purpose in Life". Here, in part, is a brief statement on this central issue of the humanist lifestance:
"Creating our own purposes in life and then striving to achieve them can, in itself, provide a sense of meaning. But meaning can also derive from the good we do, the relationships we build, the quest for intellectual growth, the satisfaction of productive work, the enjoyment of creative or artistic pursuits, and the influence we have on our friends and society. The meaning of these achievements is not independent of ourselves; on the contrary, their meaning is ours to define. This attitude has often been summarized as, ‘The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose.'"
For complete information about the COHE curriculum, see: humanisteducation.com
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