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Home , Henry Taube, Humanism, Humanist Manifesto, Ilya Prigogine, Rodrigue Tremblay, Sherwin Wine

and Its Aspirations

Humanist Manifesto III, a successor to the of 1933*

Humanism is a progressive of Life’s fulfillment emerges from that, without supernaturalism, affirms our abili- participation in the service of humane ideals. ty and responsibility to lead ethical of per- We aim for our fullest possible development sonal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good and animate our lives with a deep sense of pur- of humanity. pose, finding wonder and awe in the joys and beauties of , its challenges and The lifestance of Humanism—guided by , , and even in the inevitability and final- inspired by , and informed by expe- ity of death. Humanists rely on the rich heritage rience—encourages us to live life well and fully. of human and the lifestance of It evolved through the ages and continues to Humanism to provide comfort in times of want develop through the efforts of thoughtful peo- and encouragement in times of plenty. ple who recognize that values and ideals, how- ever carefully wrought, are subject to change as are social by and find our and understandings advance. meaning in relationships. Humanists long for and strive toward a world of mutual care and This document is part of an ongoing effort to concern, free of cruelty and its consequences, manifest in clear and positive terms the con- where differences are resolved cooperatively ceptual boundaries of Humanism, not what we without resorting to . The joining of must believe but a consensus of what we do individuality with interdependence enriches believe. It is in this sense that we affirm the fol- our lives, encourages us to enrich the lives of lowing: others, and inspires hope of attaining peace, jus- tice, and opportunity for all. Knowledge of the world is derived by observa- tion, experimentation, and rational analysis. Working to benefit society maximizes indi- Humanists find that is the best method vidual happiness. Progressive have for determining this knowledge as well as for worked to free humanity from the brutalities of solving problems and developing beneficial mere survival and to reduce suffering, improve . We also recognize the of society,and develop global community.We seek new departures in thought, the arts, and inner to minimize the inequities of circumstance and —each subject to analysis by critical ability, and we support a just distribution of intelligence. nature’s resources and the fruits of human effort so that as many as possible can enjoy a Humans are an integral part of nature, the good life. result of unguided evolutionary change. Humanists recognize nature as self-existing.We Humanists are concerned for the well of accept our life as all and enough, distinguishing all,are committed to diversity,and respect those things as they are from things as we might wish of differing yet humane views. We work to or imagine them to be. We welcome the chal- uphold the equal enjoyment of lenges of the future, and are drawn to and and civil in an open,secular society and undaunted by the yet to be known. maintain that it is a civic duty to participate in the democratic process and a planetary duty to Ethical values are derived from human protect nature’s integrity, diversity, and need and interest as tested by experience. in a secure, sustainable manner. Humanists ground values in human welfare shaped by human circumstances, interests, and Thus engaged in the flow of life, we aspire to concerns and extended to the global this vision with the informed conviction that and beyond.We are committed to treating each humanity has the ability to toward its person as having inherent worth and , highest ideals. The responsibility for our lives and to making informed choices in a context of and the kind of world in which we live is ours consonant with responsibility. and ours alone.

* Humanist ManifestoTM is a trademark of the American Humanist Association— c 2003 American Humanist Association

1821 Jefferson Place NW, Washington, DC 20036 // 202.238.9088 // 800.837.3792 // www.americanhumanist.org signatories David Schafer Retired research physiologist, Philip W. Anderson Arthur Dobrin Stefan Jonasson U.S. Veterans Administration Nobel laureate in , 1977 professor of , Hofstra University and Immediate past president, HUUmanists Eugenie Scott leader emeritus Ethical Humanist Society of Long Philip Appleman Larry Jones Executive director, Island, New York National Center for Science Poet and distinguished professor emeritus of President, Institute for Humanist Studies English, Indiana University Margarent Downey Khoren Arisian president, Society of Greater editor of Skeptic magazine founder and director of Senior Leader, NY Society for Ethical Culture Philadelphia James R. Simpson Harold W. Kroto Janet Jeppson Asimov Sonja Eggerickx Professor of international agricultural , Nobel laureate in , 1996 Psychiatrist and science writer vice president, Unie Vrijzinnige, , and vice Ryukoku University, Japan Beth Lamont Bill Baird president, IHEU Warren Allen Smith AHA NGO representative to the Reproductive rights pioneer Riane Eisler Editor and author Gerald A. Larue President, Center for Partnership Studies Matthew Ies Spetter Frank Berger Professor emeritus of biblical history and archae- Associate professor in social at the Pharmacologist, developer of anti-anxiety drugs ology, University of Southern creator of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Peace Studies Institute of Manhattan College, NY Howard Box Yuan T. Lee and founder of the Albert Ellis Institute Oliver Stone minister emeritus, Oak Ridge Unitarian Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1986 Universalist Church, Tennessee Edward Ericson award-winning filmmaker Joseph Levee Paul D. Boyer Leader emeritus, Ethical Culture John E. Sulston Board member, Nobel laureate in medicine, 2002 Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1997 Roy P. Fairfield Council for Lester R. Brown Cofounder, Union Graduate School John M. Swomley Ellen McBride Professor emeritus of social , Founder and president, Earth Policy Institute Immediate past president, St. Paul School of August Brunsman Philosopher American Ethical Union Robert Tapp Executive director, Secular Student Alliance Werner Fornos Mario J. Molina Dean, the Humanist Institute president, the Population Institute Rob Buitenweg Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1995 vice president, IHEU Levi Fragell President, Lester Mondale Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1983 Vern Bullough International Humanist and Ethical Union Retired Unitarian Universalist minister and Carl Thitchener sexologist and former copresident of the signer of Humanist Manifestos I and II Jerome I. Friedman co-minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) Nobel laureate in physics, 1990 Henry Morgentaler Amherst and of Canandaigua, New York David Bumbaugh Abortion rights pioneer Arun Gandhi Maureen Thitchener professor, Meadville Lombard Theological School cofounder of the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Stephen Mumford co-minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of Owen Chamberlain Nonviolence President, Amherst and of Canandaigua, New York Nobel laureate in physics, 1959 Center for Research on Population and Security Kendyl Gibbons Matt Cherry President, William Murry emeritus professor of economics and of interna- Executive director, Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association President and dean, tional finance, Université de Montréal, , Institute for Humanist Studies Meadville-Lombard Theological School Sheldon Glashow Canada Joseph Chuman Nobel laureate in physics, 1979 Erwin Neher visiting professor of , Columbia University, Babu R. R. Gogineni Nobel laureate in medicine, 1991 Novelist and leader, Ethical Culture Society of Bergen Executive director, Sara Oelberg John Weston County, New Jersey International Humanist and Ethical Union President, HUUmanists ministerial settlement director, Curt Collier Sol Gordon Indumati Parikh Unitarian Universalist Association leader, Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Sexologist President, Culture, New York Ethelbert Haskins Center for the Study of Social Change, India Founder and president, Carlton Coon Society for Humanistic Judaism retired treasurer of the Humanist Foundation Philip Paulson Former U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Herbert A. Hauptman church-state activist Edward O. Wilson Fred Cook professor, Harvard University, and two-time Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1985 Katha Pollitt retired executive committee member, IHEU Pulitzer Prize winnerE. Donnall Thomas Jim Herrick Columnist, the Nation Francis Crick Editor, the Nobel laureate in medicine, 1990 Nobel laureate in medicine, 1962 Dudley Herschbach Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1977 All Living Past Presidents of the Paul J. Crutzen Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1986 Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1995 Howard Radest American Humanist Association Pervez Hoodbhoy Dean emeritus, the Humanist Institute Edd Doerr, 1995–2002 Richard Dawkins professor of physics at Quaid-e-Azam University, Charles Simonyi professor, University of Oxford James Randi Michael W. Werner, 1993–1994 Islamabad, Pakistan Magician, founder of the James Randi Educational Charles Debrovner Suzanne I. Paul, 1992 Fran Hosken Foundation president, NACH/Humanist Institute Lyle L. Simpson, 1981–1984 Editor, Women’s International Network News Larry Reyka Pierre-Gilles de Gennes Bette Chambers, 1973–1979 Jone Johnson-Lewis President, the Humanist Society Nobel laureate in physics, 1991 Lloyd L. Morain, 1969–1972, 1951–1955 President, National Leaders Council of the Richard J. Roberts American Ethical Union Robert W. McCoy, 1966–1968 Nobel laureate in medicine, 1993 Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1988 Vashti McCollum, 1962–1965