Ten Humanist Commandments
INTRODUCTION:
THE ETHICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE OF ANY SOCIETY
I. A NEW
MORAL CODE
Morality is an attribute
of human conduct. It relates to how people do what is right, in all situations,
in their private activities and when dealing with their fellow human beings. Such
behavior must be honest, fair and just, above and beyond any legalistic
subtleties. To be moral in a humanistic way is much more than the obligation to
obey the law or to practice decent human sexuality. Humanist moral standards apply to all human activities,
whether carried out individually or collectively. The fundamental humanistic
laws of conscience and humanity apply in all circumstances and to all
individuals, whatever their capacity. There is no "adaptable
morality" for one person in one capacity and another one when acting in
another capacity..................
CHAPTER 1
Dignity and Equality: -PROCLAIM THE NATURAL DIGNITY AND EQUALITY OF
ALL HUMAN BEINGS
First humanist
rule:
Proclaim the
natural dignity and inherent equality of all human beings, in all places and in
all circumstances
The first humanist
rule is the most important because it deals with basic human dignity. All the
other rules are derived from the first one. We therefore proclaim that respect
for human dignity should be the fundamental principle governing relations
between individuals and among nations............
CHAPTER 2
RESPECT: -RESPECT LIFE AND
PROPERTY
Second humanist
rule:
Respect the
life and property of others at all times.
The second humanist rule is really two rules in one, in the sense that
since life is the most important property that a human being can ever have,
respect for life and respect for property translate into not killing each other
and in not stealing from each other. This second rule is also a prerequisite
for rule #9 that mandates democracy and free markets as the best institutions
for guaranteeing human freedom and liberty.
The most Important Property is Life
The natural right of
property, beginning with the ownership of one's own life, is the foundation of
human liberty. There cannot be individual freedom without people having the
liberty to own what is needed for their survival and development, while being
responsible for what they own. To own something is to be responsible for it, to
be free to have control over it and be able to dispose of it and to enter into
voluntary contracts with others. Ownership is therefore the foundation of
voluntary economic exchange, of commerce.and of free functioning markets. When
despotic governments or other authorities deprive people of their natural right
to property, they ipso facto deprive them of their
natural right to be free.........
CHAPTER 3
tolerance: -SHOW TOLERANCE AND OPEN MINDEDNESS TOWARDS OTHERS
Third humanist
rule:
Practice
tolerance and open-mindedness towards the choices and life styles of others.
How people choose to be moral is
their own personal decision, provided they do not hurt others. The first
manifestation of tolerance is to have the greatest respect for people who
happen to have different feelings, different philosophies or different views of
the world. The fundamental right of freedom of conscience means that people
have a right to their own thoughts, their own beliefs, their own philosophies
and their own religions. The only requirement is that they do not impose these
beliefs on others. Fanaticism, extremism and proselyticism are the opposite of
tolerance, trust and open-minded attitudes in human relations.......
CHAPTER 4
Sharing: -SHARE WITH THE LESS FORTUNATE
AND THOSE IN NEED
Fourth humanist
rule:
Share with
those who are less fortunate and mutually assist those who are in need of help.
Caring and Altruism
Even though nature itself is cold and amoral, caring and
altruism are natural human attributes. Because they needed to live in groups to
survive in a harsh environment, early humans had to develop a capacity for
sharing and for mutual assistance in order to overcome the
forces of nature. Humans would not have survived without such a culture of
sharing. Initially, all what was needed was sharing the means of subsistence
within a small group of related people. Overtime, the concept and practice of
sharing evolved to embrace larger communities, especially as conflicts between
grouips for survival became more frequent and more deadly........
CHAPTER 5
NO DOMINATION: -DO NOT DOMINATE AND EXPLOIT OTHERS THROUGH LIES, OR THROUGH TEMPORAL OR SPIRITUAL POWER
Fifth humanist
rule:
Use neither
lies, nor temporal power, nor spiritual power to dominate and exploit others.
Proclaim the principle of equality of opportunity for all.
To lie, cheat, and
resort to corruption in order to amass riches and gain power at the expense of
others are all examples of exploitation, and are contrary to a humanist
approach to life in society. In daily human interactions, economic or social,
there is no exploitation when such exchanges are voluntary and mutually
rewarding. However, when these exchanges are made under duress or through
misrepresentation, they are tantamount to exploitation because they arise from
a situation of abuse, oppression, corruption or manipulation.......
CHAPTER 6
NO SUPERSTITION: -RELY ON REASON AND LOGIC AND
AVOID SUPERSTITIONS
Sixth humanist rule:
Rely on reason and science to understand the
Universe and to solve life's problems, avoiding superstitions, which numb the
mind and are an obstacle to thinking by oneself.
Our natural
world
vs. the
supernatural world
The first question to be asked is whether there is a
supernatural world, besides or beyond our natural and physical world, in which
the natural Laws of Physics do not apply. The truth is that there is absolutely
no proof or evidence, past or present, that a supernatural world exists or has
ever existed, or that human spirits survive death. It is the duty of those who
pretend otherwise to prove their case, since it is impossible to prove a
negative. As humans, we come from matter present in the Universe when we are
born, and we merge with the rest of the Universe when we are dead, leaving our
deeds and memories behind. There is no proof of the existence of a supernatural
world, except in some people's minds. —It is a dangerous fiction........
CHAPTER 7
Conserve: -Conserve and improve the earth's
natural environment
Seventh
humanist rule:
Conserve and
improve the Earth's natural environment —land, soil, water, air and
space—as humankind's common heritage.
The natural Environment
The
Earth's environment—land, soil, air, water and space—form a
unifying whole that sustains human life. Whether we like it or not, humans are
a significant part of the Earth's environment, and this means that they can do
something to keep it free of pollution. Humans have to pay attention to the
environment and to the global life support system. We need more scientific
understanding of the Earth's complex system and more enlightened international
collaboration to face the new challenges that global pollution presents.
Earth's current inhabitants have no right to leave a damaged and depreciated
environment to future generations........
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CHAPTER 8
NO WAR: -DO NOT RESORT TO
VIOLENCE OR TO WARS
Eighth humanist
rule:
Resolve
differences and conflicts cooperatively without resorting to violence or to
wars.
The sources of human violence and
brutality toward other humans remain the object of numerous researches and
speculation. Are humans more prone to violence and to being more morally irresponsible when acting in isolation or
when acting within a group? Why was the 20th Century one of the most violent in
human history? Is moral progress keeping pace with advances in technology, or
is there a widening gap between the two? What could be the consequences for
human survival if technology advances but morality regresses? As psychologist Ervin Staub has put it, "The
widespread hope and belief that human beings had become increasingly
'civilized' was shattered by the events of the Second World War, particularly
the systematic, deliberate extermination of six million Jews by Hitler's Third
Reich." Why
then is moral progress so slow, as compared to scientific and technological
progress?.....
CHAPTER 9
democracy: -ADOPT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY
Ninth humanist
rule:
Organize public
affairs according to individual freedom and responsibility, through political
and economic democracy.
When people accept
to live in society—and they have little choice to do otherwise—they
are bound to reap various social benefits (security, education, health
services, etc.), but they also have social responsibilities. To profit from
society and its institutions and from the economic system and its markets
(economic opportunities and rewards, respect of contracts, stabilitiy, etc.),
and to act in a way that is contrary to the common good, is to be immoral.
Antisocial behavior that undermines social and economic stability and
efficiency is tantamount to free-loading on the rest of society and is contrary
to humanist morality. However, not all political and economic systems guarantee
the maximum net benefits to people, in terms of individual freedom and economic
opportunities. Experience has demonstrated that some systems are more conducive
to individual happiness than others. Those systems that place the individual at
the center of their functioning are the best. Those systems that oppress and
exploit the individual are the worst........
CHAPTER 10
education: -DEVELOP
ONE’S INTELLIGENCE AND TALENTS THROUGH EDUCATION AND EFFORT
Tenth humanist
rule:
Develop one's
intelligence and talents through education and effort, in order to reach
fulfillment and happiness, for the betterment of humanity and of future
generations.
Education as Gate to Freedom, Progress
and Prosperity
Humans are not
intrinsically wicked, wretched and lacking, as so many religions assume and
proclaim. Rather, humans are great beings, adept at accomplishing great things.
They are capable of intelligence, compassion and cooperation, and they are
predisposed to learn and improve themselves. That is why education, education,
education should be the fundamental priority of every society. It is the key to
freedom, progress and prosperity. Education is the best protector of liberty.
It is the avenue of social progress. It is the best of social investments. It
is not blind faith that produces freedom; knowledge brings victory over
ignorance and freedom. Knowldege empowers human beings and equips them with the
tools of survival. However, education is not only about the acquisition of
knowledge; it must also emphasize the development of morals. Knowledge without
morals can easily become a threat to society.......
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CHAPTER 11
IMPLEMENTING MORAL
BEHAVIOR:
The necessary but limited social role of institutions: governments,
tribunals and police
How can one be
optimistic and practical humanists without being naive and unrealistic? That is
the challenge that all of us who strive to improve things in the world
inevitably must face. More specifically, in a post-religion world, how can
personal and collective moral behavior be encouraged without the mythical and
etherial inventions of Paradise and Hell?.......
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CONCLUSION
MODERN HUMANISM AND THE FUTURE OF HUMANKIND
The ten basic
commandments of rational humanism exposed in this book represent a universal philosophy
of thinking and behaving. Even though it would be futile to search for a
perfect moral system, humanity has no other choice than to adopt the most
civilized rules of private and collective behavior that can best guarantee its
chances of survival.......
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