What Do Traditional Religions Get Right?
Arthur Jackson & Paul Gilbert
September 1, 2013
This Forum will begin with a 10-minute video of a TED Talk by Alain de Botton:
“What aspects of religion should atheists (respectfully) adopt? Alain de Botton suggests a “religion for atheists” — call it Atheism 2.0 — that incorporates religious forms and traditions to satisfy our human need for connection, ritual and transcendence.”
Through his witty and literate books — and his new School of Life — Alain de Botton helps others find fulfillment in the everyday. If you have the opportunity, this video is worth watching more than once:
http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_atheism_2_0.html
After the video Dan Miller, Arthur and Paul all gave short talks, then there was a lively discussion.
You can read de Botton’s 10 Commandments for atheists at:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/iv-drip/bring-back-the-goodness-alain-de-bottons-10-commandments-for-atheists-8480128.html
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The following document was also available during this talk to facilitate further discussion of Humanist principles.
Robert D. Finch, a past president of the Humanists of Houston who has served on the AHA’s Board of Directors, has written an essay titled “Evolutionary Ethics and Its Future”, which is published in Volume 21 (1) 2013 of “Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism”. The following is an abstract from “Evolutionary Ethics and Its Future”.
Let us recapitulate some humanist principles:
Truth and Knowledge: We should base our conduct on the best available knowledge of the natural world, in which people and their minds have evolved and of our human-made systems.
Rationality: The systems of the human mind based in the natural world, enable us to think, and be creative agents, and are the source of personal freedom, dignity and responsibility.
Emotions: We have to recognize that emotions are the driving force of our behavior. We need to provide the loving relationships of a family for the security of young and old.
Values: People are able to share emotions and refine their values through the various arts.
Ethics: We should use or emotions, values and rationality in building ethical theories and systems to live by.
Pragmatism: We should uphold the methods of social systems that have proven to be successful in the past, including the law, science and good practice while working for their improvement.
Commitment: We need to belong to the organizations that foster our worldview and enable it to be tested and improved.
Destiny: We believe that Humanism should offer visions of the future which will inspire the individual and guide the policies of society.