Darwin, Humanism and Science: Michael Schmidt-Saloman

Evolutionary Humanism : How to cope with the moral arguments against evolution.
Dr Michael Schmidt-Salomon of the Giordano-Bruno Foundation, Germany.

Many objections made to the theory of evolution are not scientific but moralistic. Especially in Germany, evolutionary thinkers are confronted with the reproach that their ideas would lead to a new rise of Social Darwinism. Evolutionary Humanism deals with this problem. It combines a strong naturalistic and an also strong humanistic point of view which is attractive for many people today.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• michaelschmidt-saloman
• darwin
• evolution
• humanism
• morals
• value
• eugenics
• race

[EqualAndFree]

Christians claim that the only alternative to their 'morality' is the amorality of the 'survival of the fittest' that we see in nature. Humanists, however, base their morality on human reason - not on deriving an 'ought' from nature's 'is'.

Humanist morality aims for social contracts that realize the most beneficial social consequences - the greatest good of the greatest number. Christian 'morality', in contrast, is based upon blind obedience to tradition - whatever the moral consequences.

[GermanStraight1]

well ...

as bad as his english is ,

one thing is obvious , the man knows WHAT he is talking about !!!

Morality was there before man invented GODS as to explain how and why the world works the way it does , the world works fine without Gods !

Besides , there are so many of them ... lol

Brgds

GSO

[nymphrenic]

My favorite part was when he asserted that humanists don't have dogmas, and then closed with a dogma that humanists must hold to. rofl.

My second favorite was all of his bold assertions about the state of religion, it was nice of him to bring red meat for the clapping seals in the crowd.

[guitarsly111]

@Patferr If you knew what a scientist has to do to propose something like this, you wouldn't say it was 'faith'. They require evidence and proof, with a written report showing how their 'hypothesis' is put forward. Please don't disregard science, because the concepts are at first hard to grasp. I encourage you to learn for yourself what evolution and natural selection is, it may change your aspect on the world. I am very sorry that you failed to understand evolution the first time.

[guitarsly111]

@Patferr the theory of evolution does not expect you to believe. (evolution is not the big bang). Evolution is the cause of natural selection, obviously a tiger that can run faster is going to kill more animals for food than a tiger that has short legs and is slow. The one that is slow dies, and the animal that can run fast lives, and reproduces and passes on its good genes. Science doesn't claim to explain everything, it explains what can be investigated.

[jrwilson98]

@lizazoon YOu asked for a contradiction of religion. You stated that if you die without God he will send you from his sight, because he never knew you. But Christians believe God knows everything about everyone; he keeps a record of every deed, every word, every thought, whether awake or asleep. Christians believe God cares about what you eat, who you fuck, and what position you fuck in, but you said God will not know you after you die, so how then can he judge me. You make no sense.

[JeanySullivan]

lol it's cute how he can't pronounce "truth".

[JeanySullivan]

awww if I had known, i would have loved to go too. :-(

But thanks so much for posting it, that's great!

[geheimerbesen]

Good answer,gronkar66 =D

Great to see MSS giving a speach in England.

[gronkar66]

@Patferr

Thanks for involuntarily prooving my point.