Two Competing Moralities

EDITORIAL PAUL KURTZ

e are told by the critics of secular humanist morality that, without belief in God, immorality would engulf us. WThis position is held by many conserv- ative, even centrist, political leaders today. They say ffreeree inquiryinquiry that society needs a religious framework to main- tain the general order. But they are, I submit, pro- foundly mistaken. What they overlook is the fact that humanist ethics is so deeply ingrained in human culture that even religious conservatives accept many (if not all) of its ethical premises—though, like Molière's Bourgeois Gentilhomme, who was surprised when he was told that he spoke and wrote in prose, many people will be equally surprised to discover this. May I point out five aspects of humanist morality that are widely accepted today. Humanist ethics is not some recent invention; it has deep roots in world civilization, and it can be found in the great thinkers, from Aristotle and Confucius to Spinoza, Adam Smith, Mill, and Dewey. What are these philosophers saying? First, that the pursuit of happiness—eudaimonia, as the Greeks called it—is a basic goal of ethical life, both for the individual and society, This point of view came into prominence during the Renaissance; it is expressed in the Declaration of Independence, and indeed in virtually every modern democratic system of ethics. People may dispute about the meaning of happiness, but nonetheless most human- ists say that the good life involves satisfying and pleasurable experience, creative actualization, and human realization. We wish a full life in which the fruits of our labor contribute to a meaningful existence. We recognize that religious believers want salvation in the next world, but few today would want unhappiness in this life. A second principle is the recognition that each person has equal dignity and value, and that he or she ought to be considered as an end and not a mere means. This doctrine was implicit in the American and French democratic revolutions; it was used to overthrow slavery and hierarchical societies, and it is appealed to in order to eliminate racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual discrimination. A third value of humanism is the ideal of moral freedom. Humanists defend free societies that allow wide latitude for individuals to express their own needs, desires, interests, goals, and their diverse visions of the good life, however idiosyn- cratic they may be. Nevertheless, humanist ethics emphasizes the higher intellectu- al, moral, and Eesthetic values, and it focuses on moral growth and development as essential to happiness. Fourth, this implies that we tolerate the diversity of values and principles in dif- ferent individuals and groups in society. We need not necessarily accept different lifestyles; we simply allow them to co-exist. Moral freedom does not necessarily mean license or corruption; it does not mean a libertine style of life; for there is con- cern not only with freedom but with virtue. It does not condone the fleshpot, the shallow or egotistical individual; for even while humanist morality maintains that individuals should be allowed to pursue their own ends without repression, it asks that they learn to behave responsibly, that they cultivate the common moral decen- cies, and that their behavior be considerate of the needs of others. That means that they will develop an appreciation for the basic shared moral virtues of a civilized community—truth, sincerity, integrity, fairness, empathy, etc. This presupposes the

© http://www.secularhumanism.org ® summer 2001 development of moral character in the modern society, especially since the spond that belief in God is no guarantee young for self-control and an altruistic Renaissance. Let me enunciate them. of moral virtue. Indeed, devoted believ- regard for others are essential for the 1. Secularization: The institutions ers will often kill each other over full flowering of the individual. of modern society have sought to liber- differences in doctrine or authority, and Fifth, humanist ethics focuses on ate morality from repressive theocratic they oppose each other on issues con- human reason as the basis of ethical creeds. This entails a separation of cerning public morality: some are for choice. This is insufficiently understood church and state as a precondition of and some against capital punishment, by dogmatic religionists who fail to freedom from authoritarian or totalitar- war or peace, the rights of women, appreciate the fact that there are often ian control. minorities, euthanasia, sexual freedom, difficult choices to be made in life; though 2. Democracy: This is a further pre- etc. Dogmatic religious doctrines espe- we may share principles and values, we condition for humanist morality to flour- cially set people against each other, lead- need to recognize that society is under- ish; for it is in a free, open, and de- ing to hypocrisy, greed, policies of retri- going rapid change and that new moral mocratic society that individuals are bution and punishment, chauvinism, and problems may emerge. Often we must allowed to make their own decisions pride, rather than an empathetic moral choose between the lesser of two evils or and universal human rights are defend- regard for the needs of others. Thus the greater of two goods, not between ed, both on the social and the planetary there is a genuine humanist alternative good and evil. Thus there are the classi- scale. Democracy entails an open mar- to such doctrinaire points of view, which cal moral dilemmas that all individuals in ket of ideas, rule by majorities, and the needs to be appreciated. society encounter, in which competing right of dissent. I submit that humanist ethical ideals, values and principles contend. Human- 3. Consumerism: Modern economic which emphasize the pursuit of happi- ists maintain that in such situations eth- systems are predicated on the assump- ness, moral freedom, tolerance, moral ical inquiry ought to be emphasized, and tion that individual consumers should responsibility, and rational moral that a reflective moral intelligence— have the freedom to produce, purchase, inquiry, are basic for social peace and aware of one's own interests and values and consume goods and services of their ethical improvement, and that both reli- and also of the needs and interests of own choice. This has led to an enormous gious and nonreligious people can share others—should seek to negotiate differ- improvement of the human condition, the these values. To castigate humanist ences and work out compromises. extension of the fruits of industry and of ethics would endanger the hard-won Humanists believe that science and tech- happiness to all citizens. gains to achieve a secular state, a demo- nology, if used wisely, can help us to Yet many religionists today decry cratic society, and a prosperous econo- improve human life and contribute to the humanist ethics and they proclaim my serving all the citizens of society. common welfare. Thus, in our view, ethi- absolute declarations and creeds. In the Shall we risk the advances of social, cal rationality is essential for moral past, they often opposed democracy and political, and economic progress in the growth and development. moral freedom, tolerance, and respect name of an authoritarian creed? To In any case, humanist values and for diversity. Many emphasize still today reject humanist morality would do pre- principles underlie three powerful the virtue of obedience rather than cisely that: It would repeal the modern social movements that have emerged in of individual autonomy. Humanists re- world. QC

Kurtz Receives Top University Award

Dr. Paul Kurtz, editor-in-chief of FREE INQUIRY and professor world's foremost publishers in such areas as philosophy, sci- emeritus of philosophy at the State University of New York at ence, and critical thinking. A fellow of the American Buffalo, has received SUNY at Buffalo's highest award—the Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author Chancellor Charles P. Norton Medal. The medal was presented or editor of more than thirty books, sixty book chapters, and by University President William Greiner and University 650 articles or reviews. Among his most influential writings is Council Chairman Jeremy Jacobs at the university's 155th his book, The Transcendental Temptation (Prometheus commencement ceremonies in May. 1986), a seminal work on the subject of secular humanism. The Norton Medal is presented annually in recognition of a Kurtz's observations on the paranormal—translated into person who, in Norton's words, "performed some great thing many languages—have generated lively debates, and he is a ... a great civic or political act, a great book, a great work of highly sought guest lecturer in the United States and abroad. art, a great scientific achievement, or any other thing which, Dr. Kurtz received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in in itself is truly great or ennobling, and which dignifies the 1952. In addition to writing The Transcendental Temptation, performer and Buffalo in the eyes of the world." The citation Kurtz is the author or editor of Skepticism and Humanism: recognizes Dr. Kurtz as "a world-renowned philosopher" and The New Paradigm (Transaction, 2001); Skeptical Odysseys "an authority in the fields of secular humanism and rational (2001); Embracing the Power of Humanism (Rowman & inquiry" Little, 2000); Humanist Manifesto 2000 (1999); The Courage Dr. Kurtz is the founder and chairman of the Council for to Become (Praeger/Greenwood, 1997); Toward a New Secular Humanism and the Committee for the Scientific Enlightenment (Transaction, 1994); The New Skepticism Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. In 1969, he founded (Prometheus, 1992); and Philosophical Essays in Pragmatic Prometheus Books, which is widely viewed as one of the Naturalism (Prometheus, 1991).

free inquiry http://www.secularhumanism.org o