Humanist Manifesto III
a successor to the Humanist
Manifesto of 1933
Source
Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism,
affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal
fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.
The lifestance of Humanism—guided by reason, inspired by compassion,
and informed by experience—encourages us to live life well
and fully. It evolved through the ages and continues to develop through
the
efforts of thoughtful people who recognize that values and ideals,
however 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 conceptual boundaries of Humanism, not what we must
believe but a consensus of what we do believe. It is in this sense that
we affirm the following:
Knowledge of the world is derived by observation,
experimentation, and rational analysis. Humanists find that science
is the best method for
determining this knowledge as well as for solving problems and
developing beneficial technologies. We also recognize the value of
new departures
in thought, the arts, and inner experience—each subject to
analysis by critical intelligence.
Humans are an integral part of nature, the result of unguided evolutionary
change. Humanists recognize nature as self-existing. We accept our life
as all and enough, distinguishing things as they are from things as we
might wish or imagine them to be. We welcome the challenges 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 welfare shaped by human
circumstances, interests, and concerns and extended to the global ecosystem
and beyond. We are committed to treating each person as having inherent
worth and dignity, and to making informed choices in a context of freedom
consonant with responsibility.
Life's fulfillment emerges from individual participation in the service
of humane ideals. We aim for our fullest possible development and animate
our lives with a deep sense of purpose, finding wonder and awe in the
joys and beauties of human existence, its challenges and tragedies, and
even in the inevitability and finality of death. Humanists rely on the
rich heritage of human culture and the lifestance of Humanism to provide
comfort in times of want and encouragement in times of plenty.
Humans are social by nature and find meaning in relationships. Humanists
long for and strive toward a world of mutual care and concern, free of
cruelty and its consequences, where differences are resolved cooperatively
without resorting to violence. The joining of individuality with interdependence
enriches our lives, encourages us to enrich the lives of others, and
inspires hope of attaining peace, justice, and opportunity for all.
Working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness. Progressive
cultures have worked to free humanity from the brutalities of mere survival
and to reduce suffering, improve society, and develop global community.
We seek to minimize the inequities of circumstance and ability, and we
support a just distribution of nature's resources and the fruits of human
effort so that as many as possible can enjoy a good life.
Humanists are concerned for the well being of all, are committed to
diversity, and respect those of differing yet humane views. We work to
uphold the equal enjoyment of human rights and civil liberties in an
open, secular society and maintain it is a civic duty to participate
in the democratic process and a planetary duty to protect nature's integrity,
diversity, and beauty in a secure, sustainable manner.
Thus engaged in the flow of life, we aspire to this vision with the
informed conviction that humanity has the ability to progress toward
its highest ideals. The responsibility for our lives and the kind of
world in which we live is ours and ours alone.
