Re: humanism vs. transhumanism?

Technotranscendence (neptune@mars.superlink.net)
Tue, 31 Mar 1998 21:17:03 -0500 (EST)


At 06:40 PM 3/31/98 -0600, Thom Quinn <swo@execpc.com> wrote:
>> I've also noticed that many people who call themselves "secular
>> humanist" are really just using the term as a euphemism for
>> "atheist."
>
>No, this is not true. Humanism is a non-theist beleif system. If you are
>a humanist, you do not believe in God, so you are techincally an
>atheist. But many atheists are not humanists.

I hate to sound snotty, but can you read? Let me quote myself:

"I've also noticed that many people who call themselves "secular
humanist" are really just using the term as a euphemism for
"atheist.""

Note the use of "noticed" above. In other words, I've met people
who called themselves "secular humanists" who when pressed
really couldn't go much beyond the fact that they did not believe
in a God or gods or other supernatural stuff.

(I only went through this exercise because you countered an
earlier post of someone else's by not responding to his actual
content but to what you thought you read.)

As an abstract idea, I would, for the most part agree with you.
Secular humanism is atheistic, but atheism is not necessarily
secular humanistic. But people don't usually like to use clear
terms to define and delimit themselves. Hence, I believe many
people adopt a secular humanist mantle merely to avoid being
seen as negators -- i.e., as standing against religion instead of
for humanity -- and the term "atheist" has a certain connotation,
we must admit, that is, in the USA, not good.

I've also met people who called themselves "Christian humanists."
I bet in their view, "humanism" does not presuppose "atheism."

As for me, "atheist" will do just fine as a label and I leave the
secular humanists to whatever vageries they expose.

Daniel Ust