Introduction
The list of humanist principles was inspired because we agreed that there are core ethical principles, but no one seemed to have a specific list. So the question was, are there really principles that we all agree with? Can they be put into writing? The answer is that there has been general agreement, but there are differences of opinion about some of the details.
Where do our values come from? Many values come from our basic survival needs. Humanists generally agree that humans evolved from primates, and our ethical behavior is related to that of other social animals, even though it is more complex. Many species of animals cooperate with each other to find safety in numbers and to have a more secure existence, from schools of fish to herds of buffalo to pods of whales.
However, one problem that religious people raise about humanism is a basic misunderstanding that if someone "believes in" evolution, it means the law of the jungle or everyone for themselves, i.e. no morality or cooperation. It may defuse this criticism if we can demonstrate that a small discussion group can come up with a secular list of ethical principles that may be more relevant than quotes that are taken from the Bible, which is 2000 years old..
It is worth noting that moral social values are selfish in the long term. Complex ethics are consistent with evolution, since ethics make civilization possible, and civilization allows more people to survive. Morality is not inconsistent with evolution, just with the simplistic "law of the jungle" interpretation of it, or survival of the fittest individual at the expense of other individuals. Human beings are versatile enough to follow a range of behavior, from the most purely self-centered to the selflessly altruistic.
Civilization requires rational social values that can conflict with the short-sighted and self-centered survival values that humans evolved in smaller tribes. Modern technological society calls for even more sophistcated social skills and interactions. It is necessary to think about moral principles that may cause our primative survival values to conflict with social harmony.
For many people, social values are taught during their upbringing, if they are raised well. In a crisis, or for people with poor social development, the primative survival values, which tend to be selfish, are still the default values. We don't necessarily need a list of principles for people who know what the right thing to do is, but the list may help people who aren't really sure, or who are contantly tempted to be antisocial. We all have a personal stake in making sure that everyone in society understands the importance of following the social values in a conscious way, sometimes with a priority over survival values.
Some lists of humanist principles have been proposed by others that have to do with how one thinks. It is a lot easier for a person to control actions rather than thoughts. It makes more sense to concentrate on good actions in the list of principles.
As nontheists, WASH members are in an advantageous position to discuss moral principles. Members of an organized religion have problems developing moral principles unless they are directly from the sacred text, which can be interpreted but not really questioned critically or discarded as outdated. Their principles may also come from revelation by a leader, but these principles don't lend themselves to discussion. On the other hand, the legal system includes morality, but it must be practical, detailed, and enforcable. A discussion of humanism allows us to consider morality in general terms with the fewest preconceptions, aside from our life experiences.
A number of members of the Baltimore Chapter have discussed a list of humanist principles at Special Interest Group discussions. Writing and editing the list has been a collaborative effort. So far, the list has been through five drafts. In addition, individual members have written or edited their own lists.
The list gives discussion points for thinking about morality. It is not meant to be WASH policy or dogma. For that reason, the list remains in draft form.