Back to the Enlightenment roots
The original Enlightenment included a range of ideas centred on the pursuit of happiness, sovereignty of reason, and the evidence of the senses as the primary sources of knowledge and advanced ideals such as liberty, progress, toleration, fraternity, constitutional government, and separation of church and state.
We believe those values never faded away and are, in fact, as foundational today as they were three hundred years ago.
James Baldwin
1924-1976
Steven Pinker
1954 –
Margaret Atwood
1939 –
Richard Dawkins – 1941 –
Hannah Arendt
1906-1975
Welcome to civilized debate
While the sovereignty of empiricism and reason along with advanced ideals such as liberty, progress, toleration, and fraternity have universal application, what deserves to remain universal and what is best left to particular cultures is the raging debate of our time. This forum allows such discussion.
(The forum platform is under construction – please offer your comments directly in the posts)
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Latest
- Preface to “Perspectives for a New Enlightenment” (with French translation)
I became a humanist, without knowing the term, when, as a teenager, I realized that the dogmas preached in the church that I attended did not hold up to the reality of the natural world. There is no divine compassion or and there are no miracles. At the same time I came to understand that the values… Read more: Preface to “Perspectives for a New Enlightenment” (with French translation) - A Review of: The God Effect: How Suggestion and Ritual Shape Religion and Medicine through Placebo Responses (Author: Colin Brewer; Publisher: Imprint Academic)
It was my pleasure to read Colin Brewer’s new book The God Effect on the invitation of his publisher. Dr. Brewer, who practised psychiatry for more than four decades, has a warm and personable writing style combined with a dry British sense of humour that makes his work a pleasure to read. Dr. Brewer evidently… Read more: A Review of: The God Effect: How Suggestion and Ritual Shape Religion and Medicine through Placebo Responses (Author: Colin Brewer; Publisher: Imprint Academic) - Humanism and Literature
PART ONE I Humanism seeks truth from the rational analysis of evidence. At the same time, it appreciates the creativity and insight of artists working in various media. Humanists readily acknowledge that exceptional writers can provide solace and inspiration. Furthermore, humanists prize the fact that literature offers awareness and preserves knowledge, as well as providing… Read more: Humanism and Literature - Humanism, Secularism and Islamophobia
PART ONE I Although the term is used loosely in general, the clinical definition of a phobia is that it is an irrational fear. For example, being afraid or even unable to cross a sturdy bridge that is currently being used safely by many people would be a case of the unreasonable fear of heights… Read more: Humanism, Secularism and Islamophobia - Humanism and History
PART ONE I “History is bunk.” “History is one damn thing after another.” “History is lies told by the winners.” Are all of these true? In a sense, yes they are, but each is also false at the same time. How can this paradox be of interest to a humanist? Read on and see. History… Read more: Humanism and History
Most thoughts on the place of First Peoples in Canada avoid the fundamental question: can there exist, in a country,…
“Faith” or “belief” is a powerful thing. A “can do” attitude results in more successful outcomes generally. A congregation benefits…
A good review – it makes me want to read the book! FYI, For information on placebo effects in the…
I understand and agree with the whole sentiment. I am merely picking on the word “traditional”. It’s like saying that…
Your framing of the fundamental question is brilliant, Rochon! But then it is followed by “the enormous harm that we,…