“Secular humanism is avowedly non-religious. It is a eupraxsophy (good practical wisdom), which draws its basic principles and ethical values from science, ethics, and philosophy.” PhilosophyValuesReligiousPrinciplesAtheismDrawsEthicsHumanismPositive AtheismPracticalsEthicalSecularBasic PrinciplesEthical ValuesNon ReligiousSecular Humanism Author:Paul Kurtz
“In contemporary society secular humanism has been singled out by critics and proponents alike as a position sharply distinguishable from any religious formulation. Religious fundamentalists in the United States have waged a campaign against secular humanism, claiming that it is a rival "religion" and seeking to root it out from American public life. Secular humanism is avowedly non-religious. It is a eupraxsophy (good practical wisdom), which draws its basic principles and ethical values from science, ethics, and philosophy.” Has BeensStatesPhilosophyValuesReligiousUnitedPrinciplesUnited StatesAtheismPositionDrawsEthicsRootsCriticsHumanismSeekingPositive AtheismCampaignsPracticalsContemporaryEthicalSecularRivalsPublic LifeBasic PrinciplesContemporary SocietyEthical ValuesNon ReligiousSecular Humanism Author:Paul Kurtz
“Homo religiosus invents religious symbols, which he venerates and worships to save him from facing the finality of his death and dissolution. He devises paradise fictions to provide succor and support... In acts of supreme self-deception, at various times and in various places he has been willing to profess belief in the most incredible myths because of what they have promised him.” Has BeensSelfBeliefReligiousFictionSupportAtheismWillingWorshipIncrediblesVariousPositive AtheismMythSupremeSymbolsDeceptionParadiseSelf DeceptionDissolutionFinality Author:Paul Kurtz
“As I see it, creative achievement is the very heart of the human enterprise... The destiny of man, of all men and of each man, is that he is condemned to invent what he will be - condemned if he is fearful but blessed if he welcomes the great adventure. We are responsible in the last analysis, not simply for what we are, but for what we will become; and that is a source of either high excitement or distress.” IfsMenHumansHeartLastsDestinyCreativeAtheismAdventureSourceAchievementResponsibleBlessedPositive AtheismAnalysisExcitementEnterpriseFearfulDistressGreat Adventure Author:Paul Kurtz
“Humanists hold that ethical values are relative to human experience and need not be derived from theological or metaphysical foundations.” NeedsHumansValuesAtheismFoundationPositive AtheismEthicalRelativeMetaphysicalHuman ExperienceTheologicalEthical Values Author:Paul Kurtz
“Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning and enrichment, emotion and cognition.” EmotionMoralCreativeAtheismDevelopmentExcellencePositive AtheismCombinationEnjoymentCognitionFuseEnrichmentHedonismMoral Development Author:Paul Kurtz
“Three key humanist virtues are courage, cognition, and caring - not dependence, ignorance, or insensitivity to the needs of others.” NeedsThreeVirtueAtheismIgnoranceKeysCaringPositive AtheismHumanistDependenceCognitionNeeds Of OthersInsensitivity Author:Paul Kurtz
“The overriding need is "to develop a new Planetary Humanism" that will seek to preserve human rights and enhance human freedom and dignity and will emphasize our commitment "to humanity as a whole." The underlying ethical principle "is the need to respect the dignity and worth of all persons in the world community." Thinkers as diverse as Peter Singer and Hans Küng also emphasize the need for a new global ethic beyond nationalistic, racial, religious, and ethnic chauvinism.” WorldNeedsHumansPersonsWholeHumanityCommunityReligiousPrinciplesRightsAtheismEthicsCommitmentDignityHuman RightsHumanismPositive AtheismSingersPreservesEthicalThinkerPeterDiverseHuman FreedomChauvinismNationalisticEthical Principles Author:Paul Kurtz
“We need to be skeptical of utopianists who offer unreliable totalistic visions of other worlds and strive to take us there. We need some ideals, but we also need to protect ourselves from the miscalculations and misadventures of visionaries.” WorldNeedsVisionAtheismOffersProtectIdealsStrivePositive AtheismSkepticalVisionariesOther WorldsUnreliableMiscalculationsMisadventure Book:The New Skepticism: Inquiry and Reliable Knowledge Source: The New Skepticism: Inquiry and Reliable Knowledge
“Secular humanism proposes ... the complete implementation of the agenda of modernism ... what is necessary for it to occur is a ... New Enlightenment.” AtheismEnlightenmentHumanismPositive AtheismAgendasSecularProposeModernismImplementationSecular Humanism Author:Paul Kurtz
“The skeptic has no illusions about life, nor a vain belief in the promise of immortality. Since this life here and now is all we can know, our most reasonable option is to live it fully.” KnowsBeliefAtheismPromiseIllusionPositive AtheismThis LifeVainImmortalityReasonableHere And NowSkeptic Book:The Transcendental Temptation: A Critique of Religion and the Paranormal Source: The Transcendental Temptation: A Critique of Religion and the Paranormal
“I believe that a person should take an affirmative outlook. There are always problems in life, old and new, uncertainties, and unexpected contingencies. The optimal way to deal with this is not to give up in despair, but to move ahead using the best intelligence and resources that we have to overcome adversity.” WayGivingShouldBelievePersonsProblemMovingI BelieveDealsAtheismDespairGiving UpResourcesOvercomingAdversityPositive AtheismUncertaintyUnexpectedNot Giving UpOutlookOvercoming AdversityAffirmativeProblems In LifeMoving AheadContingencyOptimalOld And New Author:Paul Kurtz
