Ben Franklin's Vision of an Ethical Society
Making my way through Ben Franklin’s Autobiography, I was interested to discover that he contemplated starting an ethical society in the 1730s. From an early age he was given to reflection on personal behavior and social relationships, and, as revealed in his Poor Richard’s Almanac, in the virtues that promoted self-improvement and self-advancement.
Dissatisfied with the religion he met with in churches, Franklin conceived the idea of setting out on a personally conducted project of moral perfection. To do this he created a short list of the virtues and set up a weekly grid of those virtues (in the left hand column) and the days of the week (across the top). By self-reflection at night, he noted whether he had failed in the performance of a particular virtue that day, and, if he had, he made a demerit mark in the square for that virtue and that day.
He took on the project gradually, feeling that he had to get some practice on a few of the virtues before tackling them all.
Franklin’s list of virtues was as follows: (1) Temperance (2) Silence (3) Order (4) Resolution (5) Frugality (6) Industry (7) Sincerity (8) Justice (9) Moderation (10) Cleanliness (11) Tranquillity (12) Chastity (13) Humility. His glosses on each of these are in his inimitable style. For example: Temperance - Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation. Order - Let all your things have their places, let each part of your business have its time. Moderation - Avoid extremes, forbear resenting injuries, so much as you think they deserve. Tranquillity - Be not disturbed at trifles or at accidents common or unavoidable. Humility - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
This exercise was for Franklin’s own private development, but socially he had for years met with a small group of friends in a helpful discussion group, and this group idea led to a little paper in 1731, in which he proposed forming a “united party for virtue.” The concept was urged on him by observation of public life, where party members seldom operated from what he called a “principle of benevolence,” and “fewer still in public affairs act with a view to the good of mankind.”
More:
http://hoad.ethicalmanifold.net/archives/000116.htmlSee also:
Benjamin Franklin: Scientist, Humanist
Benjamin Franklin may be the best-known Pennsylvanian in history. In his own time, he was known throughout the colonies for his books and newspaper, his lending library, his fire-fighting company, and his work as postmaster general. He was also known and admired throughout Europe—but primarily as a scientist. Richard Rosen discusses Franklin's scientific ideas and how his reputation as a scientist aided his diplomatic work by gaining him access to some of the most powerful people of France and Britain.
http://www.pahumanities.org/resources/cs_topics/founders.phpThe Affirmations of Humanism:
A Statement of Principles
* We are committed to the application of reason and science to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.
* We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside nature for salvation.
* We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life.
* We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities.
* We are committed to the principle of the separation of church and state.
* We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual understanding.
* We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
* We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the handicapped so that they will be able to help themselves.
* We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity.
* We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species.
* We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our creative talents to their fullest.
* We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence.
* We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed health-care, and to die with dignity.
* We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences.
* We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion.
* We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences.
* We are citizens of the universe and are excited by discoveries still to be made in the cosmos.
* We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, and we are open to novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking.
* We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service to others.
* We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind faith or irrationality.
* We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest that we are capable of as human beings.
More:
http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=main&page=affirmations
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