Humanism and Its Aspirations

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i l ip W. Anderson

bel laureate in physics, 1977

i l ip Appleman

et and distinguished professor emeritus of

glish, Indiana University

oren Aris ian

nior Leader, NY Society for Ethical Culture

net Jeppson As imov

ychiatrist and science writer

l Baird

productive rights pioneer

ank Berger

armacologist, developer of anti-anxiety drugs

ward Box

nister emeritus, Oak Ridge Unitarian

versalist Church, Tennessee

ul D . Boyer

bel laureate in chemistry, 1997

ster R . Brownunder and president, Earth Policy Institute

gust Brunsman

ecutive director, Secular Student Alliance

b Bui tenweg

e president, IHEU

rn Bul lough

xologist and former copresident of the

ernational Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU)

vid Bumbaugh

ofessor, Meadville Lombard Theological School

wen Chamberla in


a t t C h e r ryecutive director,

titute for Humanist Studies

seph Chuman

iting professor of religion, Columbia University,

d leader, Ethical Culture Society of Bergen

unty, New Jersey

rt Col l ie r

der, Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical

ture, New York

r l ton Coon

rmer U.S. Ambassador to Nepal

ed Cook

red executive committee member, IHEU

ancis Crick

bel laureate in medicine, 1962

ul J . Crutzen


chard Dawkins

arles Simonyi professor, University of Oxford

arles Debrovner

esident, NACH/Humanist Institute

erre-Gil les de Gennes


hann De isenhofer


Arthur Dobrin

professor of humanities, Hofstra University and

leader emeritus Ethical Humanist Society of Long

Island, New York

Margarent Downey

president, Freethought Society of Greater

Philadelphia

Sonja Eggerickx

vice president, Unie Vrijzinnige, Belgium, and vice

president, IHEU

Riane Eisler

President, Center for Partnership Studies

Albert El l is

creator of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

and founder of the Albert Ellis Institute

Edward Ericson

Leader emeritus, Ethical Culture

Roy P. Fa i rf ie ld

Cofounder, Union Graduate School

Antony F lew

Philosopher

Werner Fornos

president, the Population Institute

Lev i Frage l l

President,

International Humanist and Ethical Union

Jerome I . Fr iedman

Nobel laureate in physics, 1990

Arun Gandhi

cofounder of the M. K. Gandhi Institute for

Nonviolence

Kendyl Gibbons

President,

Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association

Sheldon Glashow

Nobel laureate in physics, 1979

Babu R. R. Gogineni

Executive director,

International Humanist and Ethical Union

Sol Gordon

Sexologist

Ethe lbert Hask ins

retired treasurer of the Humanist Foundation

H e rb e r t A . H a u p t m a n

Nobel laureate in chemistry, 1985

J im HerrickEditor, the New Humanist

Dudley Herschbach


Pervez Hoodbhoy

professor of physics at Quaid-e-Azam University,

Islamabad, Pakistan

Fran Hosken

Editor, Womens International Network News

Jone Johnson-Lewis

President, National Leaders Council of the

American Ethical Union

Stefan Jonasson

Immediate past president, HUUmanists

Larry Jones

President, Institute for Humanist Studies

Edwin Kagin

founder and director of Camp QuestH a ro l d W . K ro t o


B e t h L a m o n t

AHA NGO representative to the United Nations

Gera ld A . Larue

Professor emeritus of biblical history and archae-

ology, University of Southern California

Yu a n T . L e e


Joseph Levee

Board member,

Council for Secular Humanism

Ellen McBrideImmediate past president,

American Ethical Union

Mario J . Mol ina


Lester Mondale

Retired Unitarian Universalist minister and

signer of Humanist Manifestos I and II

Henry Morgenta ler

Abortion rights pioneer

Stephen Mumford

President,

Center for Research on Population and Security

Wil l iam MurryPresident and dean,

Meadville-Lombard Theological School

Erwin Neher

Nobel laureate in medicine, 1991

Sara Oe lberg

President, HUUmanists

Indumat i Parikh

President,

Center for the Study of Social Change, India

Phil ip Paulson

church-state activist

K a t h a Po l l i t t

Columnist, the Nation

I lya Prigogine


Howard Radest

Dean emeritus, the Humanist Institute

James Randi

Magician, founder of the James Randi Educational

Foundation

Larry Reyka

President, the Humanist Society

Richard J . Roberts


David Schafer

Retired research physiologist,

U.S. Veterans Administration

Eugenie Scott

Executive director,

National Center for Science Education

Michae l Shermer

editor of Skepticmagazine

James R. Simpson

Professor of international agricultural ec

Ryukoku University, Japan

Warren A l len Smith

Editor and author

Ma t t h e w I e s Sp e t t e r

Associate professor in social psycholog

Peace Studies Institute of Manhattan Co

Ol iver Stone

Academy award-winning filmmaker

John E. Suls ton


John M. Swomley

Professor emeritus of social ethics,St. Paul School of Theology

R o b e r t T a p p

Dean, the Humanist Institute

Henry Taube


Carl Thi tchener

co-minister, Unitarian Universalist Chur

Amherst and of Canandaigua, New Yor

Maureen Thi tchener

co-minister, Unitarian Universalist Chur

Amherst and of Canandaigua, New Yor

Rodrigue Tremblay

emeritus professor of economics and otional finance, Universit de Montral, Q

Canada

K u r t Vo n n e g u t

Novelist

John Weston

ministerial settlement director,

Unitarian Universalist Association

Sherwin Wine

Founder and president,

Society for Humanistic Judaism

Edward O. Wi lson

professor, Harvard University, and two

Pulitzer Prize winnerE. Donna l l ThomNobel laureate in medicine, 1990

All Living Past Presidents of the

American Humanist Association

Edd Doerr, 19952002

Michae l W. Werner, 19931994

Suzanne I . Paul, 1992

Lyle L . Simpson, 19811984

Bette Chambers, 19731979

Lloyd L . Mora in, 19691972, 1951

Robert W. McCoy, 19661968

Vasht i McCol lum, 19621965

signatories

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Humanism is a progressive philosophy of lifethat, without supernaturalism, affirms our abili-

ty and responsibility to lead ethical lives of per-

sonal fulfillment that aspire to the greater goodof humanity.

The lifestance of Humanismguided by reason,inspired by compassion,and informed by expe-

rienceencourages us to live life well and fully.It evolved through the ages and continues todevelop through the efforts of thoughtful peo-

ple who recognize that values and ideals, how-ever carefully wrought, are subject to change as

our knowledge and understandings advance.

This document is part of an ongoing effort to

manifest in clear and positive terms the con-ceptual boundaries of Humanism, not what wemust believe but a consensus of what we do

believe.It is in this sense that we affirm the fol-lowing:

Knowledge of the world is derived by observa-tion, experimentation, and rational analysis.Humanists find that science is the best method

for determining this knowledge as well as forsolving problems and developing beneficialtechnologies. We also recognize the value of

new departures in thought, the arts, and inner

experienceeach subject to analysis by criticalintelligence.

Humans are an integral part of nature, theresult of unguided evolutionary change.Humanists recognize nature as self-existing.Weaccept our life as all and enough,distinguishing

things as they are from things as we might wishor imagine them to be. We welcome the chal-lenges of the future, and are drawn to and

undaunted by the yet to be known.

Ethical values are derived from human

need and interest as tested by experience.Humanists ground values in human welfareshaped by human circumstances, interests, and

concerns and extended to the global ecosystemand beyond.We are committed to treating each

person as having inherent worth and dignity,and to making informed choices in a context offreedom consonant with responsibility.

Lifes fulfillment emerges from individualparticipation in the service of humane ideals.We aim for our fullest possible development

and animate our lives with a deep sense of pur-pose, finding wonder and awe in the joys andbeauties of human existence, its challenges and

tragedies, and even in the inevitability and final-ity of death. Humanists rely on the rich heritage

of human culture and the lifestance ofHumanism to provide comfort in times of want

and encouragement in times of plenty.

Humans are social by nature and findmeaning in relationships. Humanists longfor and strive toward a world of mutual care andconcern, free of cruelty and its consequences,

where differences are resolved cooperativelywithout resorting to violence. The joining ofindividuality with interdependence enriches

our lives, encourages us to enrich the lives ofothers,and inspires hope of attaining peace, jus-

tice, and opportunity for all.

Working to benefit society maximizes indi-vidual happiness. Progressive cultures haveworked to free humanity from the brutalities ofmere survival and to reduce suffering, improve

society,and develop global community.We seekto minimize the inequities of circumstance and

ability, and we support a just distribution ofnatures resources and the fruits of humaneffort so that as many as possible can enjoy a

good life.

Humanists are concerned for the well being ofall, are committed to diversity, and respect those

of differing yet humane views. We work touphold the equal enjoyment of human rights

and civil liberties in an open,secular society andmaintain that it is a civic duty to participate inthe democratic process and a planetary duty to

protect natures integrity, diversity, and beautyin a secure, sustainable manner.

Thus engaged in the flow of life, we aspire to

this vision with the informed conviction thathumanity has the ability to progress toward its

highest ideals. The responsibility for our livesand the kind of world in which we live is ours

and ours alone.

Humanist Manifesto III, a successor to the Humanist Manifesto of 1933*

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

Humanism and Its Aspirations

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