social critic

Humanism is a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, & motivated by compassion. Affirming the dignity of each human being, it supports the maximization of individual liberty & opportunity consonant with social & planetary responsibility. It advocates the extension of participatory democracy & the expansion of the open society, standing for human rights & social justice. Free of supernaturalism, it recognizes human beings as a part of nature & holds that values - be they religious, ethical, social, or political - have their source in human nature, experience, & culture. Humanism thus derives the goals of life from human need & interest rather than from theological or ideological abstractions, & asserts that humanity must take responsibility for its own destiny.