A Call for a New Planetary Humanism a Ca

A Call for a New Planetary Humanism A Call for a New Planetar y I Humanism The following document was drafted by FREE INQUIRY Editor-in- Preamble Chief Paul Kurtz, drafter of Humanist Manifesto II (1973), A Secular Humanist Declaration (1980), and A Declaration of Interdependence: A New Global Ethics (1988). umanism is an ethical, scientific, and philosophical outlook that has changed the world. Its heritage traces back to the philos o phers and po ets of ancient Greece and Rome, Confu cian Chi na, and the Carvaka movement in classical India. Humanist artists, writers, scien tists, and Hthinkers have been shaping the modern era for over half a millennium. Indeed, humanism and modernism have often seemed syn on y mous; for humanist ideas and values express a renewed confidence in the pow er of human beings to solve their own problems and conquer uncharted frontiers. Modern humanism came to fruition during the Renaissance. It led to the development of modern science. During the Enlightenment it germinated new ideals of social justice and inspired the democratic revo lu tions of our time. Humanism has helped frame a new ethical outlook emphasizing the values of freedom and happiness and the virtues of universal human rights. The signers of this Manifesto believe that humanism has much to offer humanity as we face the problems of the twenty-first century and the new millennium beyond. Many of the old ideas and traditions that humankind has inherited are no longer relevant to current realities and future oppor- tunities. We need fresh thinking if we are to cope with the global society that is now emerging, and fresh thinking is the hallmark of humanism. Therefore we present Humanist Manifesto 2000: A Call for a New Planetary Humanism. The following recommendations are offered in modesty but with the conviction that they can contribute to a dia- ©1999 The International Academy of Humanism free inquiry 4 A Call for a New Planetary Humanism logue among the differ ent cultural, political, economic, and religious economic systems and test them by whether or not they increased viewpoints in the world. Although we who endorse this document economic well-being for all in di vid u als and groups. share common principles and values, we are prepared to modify Humanist Manifesto II was written when a new moral revolution our views in the light of new knowledge, altered circumstances, and seemed upon us: it defended the right to birth control, abortion, unforeseen problems that may arise. It is not possible to create a divorce, sexual free dom between consenting adults, and euthanasia. permanent Manifesto, but it is useful and wise to devise a working It sought to protect the rights of minor i ties, women, the elderly, document, open to revision. abused children, and the disadvantaged. It advocated tolerance of alternative lifestyles and the peaceful negotiation of differences, ROLOGUE TO THE RESENT P P and it deplored racial, religious, and class antagonisms. It called for Four major Humanist Manifestos and Declarations have already an end to terror and hatred. It was written in the wake of Vatican II, been issued in the twentieth century: Humanist Manifesto I, which had attempted to liberalize Roman Catholicism. Hu man ist Humanist Manifesto II, A Secular Humanist Declaration, and A Manifesto II left room for both naturalistic humanism and lib er al Declaration of In ter de pen dence. religious humanism. The Manifesto was optimistic about the pros- Humanist Manifesto I appeared in 1933 at the height of the pects for humankind. It pointed to the benefits of science and tech- world depression. Endorsed by 34 American humanists (including nology for human good. It predicted that the twenty-first century phi los o pher John Dewey), it reflected the concerns of that time, could become the humanist century. rec om mend ing first a form of nontheistic religious humanism as an A Secular Humanist Declaration was issued in 1980 because alternative to the religions of the age, and, second, national econom- hu man ism, and especially Humanist Manifesto II, had come under ic and social planning. heavy attack, particularly from fundamentalist religious and right- Humanist Manifesto II was released in 1973 to deal with the wing political forces in the United States. Many of these critics issues that had emerged on the world scene since then: the rise maintained that sec u lar humanism was a religion. The teaching of of fascism and its defeat in the Second World War, the growth in secular humanism in the schools, they claimed, violated the princi- influence and power of Marxism-Leninism and Maoism, the Cold ple of the separation of church and state and established a new reli- War, the postwar eco nom ic recovery of Europe and America, the gion. The Declaration responded that secular humanism expressed decolonialization of large sectors of the world, the creation of the a set of moral values and a nontheistic philosophical and scientific United Nations, the sexual rev o lu tion, the growth of the women’s viewpoint that could not be equated with religious faith. The teach- movement, the demand of minorities for equal rights, and the emer- ing of the secular humanist outlook in no way was a violation of the gence of student power on the campuses. separation principle. It defended the democratic idea that the secular That Manifesto stimulated widespread debate. It was signed by state should be neutral, neither for nor against religion. many leaders of thought and action throughout the world: Andrei In 1988, the International Academy of Humanism offered still Sakharov, noted Soviet dissident; Julian Huxley, former President a fourth document, A Declaration of Interdependence, calling for of UNESCO; Sidney Hook; Betty Friedan; Gunnar Myrdal; Jacques a new global ethics and the building of a world community, which Monod; Francis Crick; Margaret Knight; Allan Guttmacher; Ritchie were in creas ing ly necessary in view of the global institutions that Calder; and A. Philip Randolph, among others. It defended human were rapidly evolving. rights on a global scale, arguing for the right to travel beyond national frontiers at a time when people behind the Iron Curtain were prohib- WHY PLANETARY HUMANISM? ited from doing so. Many Marxist humanists in Eastern Europe had attacked totalitarian statism and welcomed a defense of democracy While most of the provisions of these earlier Manifestos and Dec- and human rights. la ra tions are still viable, it is apparent that as the world enters a Humanist Manifesto II no longer defended a planned economy, new mil len ni um a new Manifesto is necessary. Since the earlier but left the question open to alternative economic systems. Thus, Manifestos, while much progress has been made, new circumstances it was endorsed by both liberals and economic libertarians, who have emerged to challenge us: Totalitarian communism has collapsed defended a free market, as well as by social democrats and dem- in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the two-power Cold ocratic socialists, who believed that the government should have a War blocs have largely dissipated. New sectors of the globe have substantial role to play in a welfare society. It sought to democratize attempted to become more democratic, though many countries still 5 fi fall 1999 lack effective democratic insti tu tions. Moreover, the of political, military, and social unrest, the twentieth world economy has become even more global ized. cen tu ry has witnessed a great number of beneficent International conglomerates have merged and become achievements. How ev er disappointing to naysayers, transnational and, in a sense, more powerful than many prosperity, peace, better health, and rising standards For the first nations in the world. Russia, China, and other countries of living are a reality—and likely to continue. These time in human have sought to enter the world market. No one country great technological, scientific, and social achieve- is able to master its economic destiny independent of ments have often been overlooked. Although they history we world trade and commerce. These fundamental chang- apply largely to the developed world, their benefits es have occurred largely because of the accelerated are now being felt virtually everywhere. We need to possess the growth of science and technology, and especially the list some of them: means— information revolution, which has led to a worldwide • Scientific medicine has improved health enor- economic and cultural communications network. Argu - mously. It has re duced pain and suffering, and it has provided by ably the changes wrought in the world since Humanist increased longevity. The discovery of antibiotics and Manifesto II are as great or greater than those of the the development of vaccines, modern techniques of science and Industrial Revolution two centuries ago, or the inven- surgery, anesthesia, pharmacology, and biogenetic tion by Gutenberg of moveable type and the printing engineering have all contributed to these advances in technology—to press. The repercussions to our global existence will health care. ameliorate the continue to be enor mous. • Farsighted public health measures and improved Yet, as the world becomes a global family, water supplies and sewage disposal have great- human ethnic-religious rivalries have sought to divide ly reduced the incidence of in fec tious disease. territories into contending factions. Fun da men tal ist Therapeutic remedies, widely applied, have dramat- condition, religions have rekindled, contesting the principles of ically reduced child mortality. humanism and secularism and demanding a return • The Green Revolution has transformed food pro- advance to the religiosity of a premodern era. So-called New duction and increased crop yields, reduced hunger, happiness and Age paranormal beliefs likewise have emerged, and raised the levels of nutrition for large portions abet ted by the mass media touting a spiritual/ of the globe.

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