How to Live the Good Life
By Arthur M. Jackson arthur@arthurmjackson.com
Copyright — 3/12/12
1 –A NEW PARADIGM If you only remember one thing about this talk I hope it will be that I am presenting a new paradigm that would replace the underlying assumptions currently guiding all current societies.
2 – The Book —
- •“How to Live the Good Life: [Empirically defined.]
- •A User’s Guide for Modern Humans” [Modern Humans are those Homo sapiens
- •By Arthur M. Jackson after symbolic language evolved some
- •Published — March 2011 60-120,000 years ago.]
- •Available at Amazon.com Show the book!!
3 – Introduction
- •The focus of this talk is to lay out the core of my book, “How to Live the Good Life: A User’s Guide for Modern Humans.”
- •It’s aim is to present a new paradigm that joins science and religion together so all persons can find joy in being human – no gods, no heavens, no Holy Books with the “right answers” – just science (that is the search for congruency, the uniformity of nature) – focusing on what people actually need to find a sustainable feeling of well-being.
4 – Introduction – Continued — b
- •I’m hoping that what I have written will provide some guidance for anyone – ready to dramatically change their life in a humanistic direction – allowing them to do so smoothly and rapidly by benefiting from the path I lay out based on over fifty years of effort. It has scores of steps – some easy, some very difficult – and all based on empirical data.
5 – Introduction – Continued — c
- •I’ll include a definition of Humanism consistent with the ideas in my book.
- •I’ve provided a handout of this presentation that includes the Eleven Ways of Wisdom, my best effort to present a science-based guide to choosing right behavior and avoiding wrong behavior.
6 – Why I Wrote the Book —
- •It started in the 50s with a college essay for an ethics class and grew because of my need to understand what life is all about, especially distinguishing between right and wrong.
- •I’m convinced these writings solve some important problems our species faces if it is to endure.
- •However, in the process I question, reject, or alter key concepts such as conventional definitions of science and religion – and humanism.
7 – My Definition of Humanism
- •Consistent with my book, “How to Live the Good Life: A User’s Guide for Modern Humans.”
- •Humanism is the belief that human beings are the source of meaning and value, and that human morality derives necessarily from our evolutionary history.
- •My “Good Life” approach is based on material causality (i.e. science) – spirit causality (i.e. the supernatural) is not in the picture except as it shows us how human brains function.
- •Humanism is my religion.
8 – Science & Religion
- •I define science as the search for congruency; i.e. the uniformity of nature.
- •This definition brings all elements of religion into the domain of science.
- •Religious belief is in the natural realm because it exists only in human brains.
9 – Science & Religion (cont.)
- •All supernatural religions embrace some type of “spirit” causality and are seen by me as “folk” religions, dependent on authority and custom – not material causality.
- •I interpret supernatural elements of religion not as “truths,” but as data subject to scientific study using the tools of science; i.e. observation, analysis, hypothesis, experimentation, verification, etc.
- •Religion, as well as ethics, lies in the domain of science.
10 – “Good Life” Definition of Religion
- •I define religion as the social institution that seeks to understand the ultimate meaning for our life and to bind humanity together.
- •This includes William A. Young’s definition of religion as “human transformation in response to perceived ultimacy” in his book, The World’s Religions.
11 – Religion
- •In my approach religion’s responsibility would be recognized as being to provide a sustainable feeling of well-being for every human being.
- •Sustainable here means holding up under scientific study; that is, using reason and logic guided by the methods of science.
- •This approach to religion requires that its ideas – like in all other areas of science – are able to be changed in order to accommodate new data and understanding.
12 – Eleven Ways of Wisdom
- •The Eleven Ways of Wisdom are science-based — depending on empirical data to provide all people a sustainable feeling that their life has meaning.
- •And at the same time they support building a dynamically stable society that would maintain the human species in a way that achieves the foregoing.
- •These Ways are presented below and provided in the handout.
- •Each Way should be seen as a hypothesis capable of being discarded, modified, or replaced as empirical data requires.
13 – The Eleven Ways of Wisdom: Enumerated 1. Recognize that Human Beings are – for us – the Ultimate Reference System.
- •2. Endeavor to maintain and improve the human species. Support efforts to develop Enlightened Communities.
- •3. Seek to understand. Pursue Wisdom.
- •4. Recognize that all knowledge rests on faith/beliefs and must always be open to questioning.
- •5. Strive to make the best choices possible.
- •6. Know and struggle to improve yourself; work to be physically and mentally healthy.
- •7. Develop and adopt a perceptual framework in which pain does not prevent the achievement of a sustainable belief that your life has meaning.
- •8. Help and be helped by other people.
- •9. Work to increase knowledge and all creative and artistic endeavors. Adopt an inspiring life goal.
- •10. Support efforts to ensure that every child is provided a loving, nurturing life with all the things necessary to become an Enlightened Person.
- •11. Make of your life a spiritual quest. Work to become an Enlightened Person.
14 – And in conclusion….
- •My fundamental hope is that you have seen merit in these ideas and would be willing to become a participant in changing society so ever more individuals can achieve a sustainable feeling that their life has meaning,
- •And recognize that this can only be accomplished when ethics & religion are accepted as existing solely in the natural world and totally within the domain of material causality.
- •Humanism, as exemplified by striving for the “Good Life” defined and developed in my book, provides an important first step in making the necessary changes.
15 – And in conclusion — continued
- •I see Humanism as not just another religion, but rather a vision that ties religion and science together because
- •Meaning and values are a part of the natural world and therefore subject to scientific study.
16 – ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- •Arthur M. Jackson was born inOregonand currently resides inSan Jose,California.
- •He holds a BS degree fromOregonStateUniversityand a Master of Education from theUniversityofOregon.
- •He has been active in the American Humanist Association for over 50 years and has served in various administrative capacities ever since.
17 – Much Appreciation to
I want to end by expressing my appreciation to George Sliter, and Richard Duda for the essential help they provided so I could make this presentation.