BSEC: A Concept Map for Ethical Culture

In 1965, on behalf of the Leaders Council, a commission on philosophy, chaired by Joseph Blau, presented a paper, drafted by Edward Ericson, that received approval by the Leaders as a definition of Ethical Culture as a Humanist Movement.

Humanism is a broad intellectual movement into which tributaries have flowed from the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Its focus is on humanity and humanity's life on this planet, in history and in imagination. That human focus is seen as either (1) not affirming or denying recourse to any supernatural or otherworldly referent, or (2) as determinedly exclusive of such a supernatural recourse. Thus there are differing currents within the main stream of the humanist tradition with differing relations to the religious tradition.

In the 1965 statement, it was noted that Ethical Culture has always been humanist in its essential purposes and values, even before the name became vigorously promoted in this century. We were the "first movement of national and international scope to develop an ethical, social and religious philosophy on a non-creedal, non-theistic basis." (We were, of course, anticipated by ancient Confucianism and Stoicism.) Our social vision and practical labors stressed human capacities and dignity; we placed human relations at the center of our moral and spiritual quest; we believed human beings must accept responsibility for the direction of human life and destiny. All of these emphases are characteristically humanist. Thus the Ethical Societies (to quote the 1965 statement) are part of the great and living humanist heritage of those who value freedom, affirm this life and this world, cherish the life of reason and the scientific method, and seek within the framework of the human enterprise-relying upon natural and human resources-to create the good society and to uphold the dignity and worth of the person. But the statement also carried a strong demurrer against the use of the term Humanist in any restrictive and dogmatic way to define our Ethical philosophy. We recognize diversity within Humanism and are not committed to a particular philosophical or metaphysical readout of Humanism. We do affirm the term Ethical Humanism, adopted in the declaration that established the International Humanist and Ethical Union in 1952.


	Learning from the Past Statement on Humanism, 1965 previous contents next
	In 1965, on behalf of the Leaders Council, a commission on philosophy, chaired by Joseph Blau, presented a paper, drafted by Edward Ericson, that received approval by the Leaders as a definition of Ethical Culture as a Humanist Movement. Humanism is a broad intellectual movement into which tributaries have flowed from the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Its focus is on humanity and humanity's life on this planet, in history and in imagination. That human focus is seen as either (1) not affirming or denying recourse to any supernatural or otherworldly referent, or (2) as determinedly exclusive of such a supernatural recourse. Thus there are differing currents within the main stream of the humanist tradition with differing relations to the religious tradition. In the 1965 statement, it was noted that Ethical Culture has always been humanist in its essential purposes and values, even before the name became vigorously promoted in this century. We were the "first movement of national and international scope to develop an ethical, social and religious philosophy on a non-creedal, non-theistic basis." (We were, of course, anticipated by ancient Confucianism and Stoicism.) Our social vision and practical labors stressed human capacities and dignity; we placed human relations at the center of our moral and spiritual quest; we believed human beings must accept responsibility for the direction of human life and destiny. All of these emphases are characteristically humanist. Thus the Ethical Societies (to quote the 1965 statement) are part of the great and living humanist heritage of those who value freedom, affirm this life and this world, cherish the life of reason and the scientific method, and seek within the framework of the human enterprise-relying upon natural and human resources-to create the good society and to uphold the dignity and worth of the person. But the statement also carried a strong demurrer against the use of the term Humanist in any restrictive and dogmatic way to define our Ethical philosophy. We recognize diversity within Humanism and are not committed to a particular philosophical or metaphysical readout of Humanism. We do affirm the term Ethical Humanism, adopted in the declaration that established the International Humanist and Ethical Union in 1952.
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