Humanism Evolving

Humanism Evolving

Around campfires and in debate halls through the centuries, thoughtful people have reflected on the human experience and tried to imagine better ways to address the problems of society. This is the essence of humanism. 

The term humanist was coined when Europeans rediscovered the eloquent reason of the ancient world; we call this time the Renaissance. Five centuries later the term was claimed by a group of religious thinkers trying to reclaim the best of religion for the modern age of science and technology. They believed that a golden age of humanity was dawning. However, the confident optimism of that second humanism feels less credible now, after the wars and environmental disasters of the 20th century. Today few prominent public thinkers call themselves humanists.

Join us this Sunday as Mark Reimers proposes that the path to a vibrant humanism in the 21st century calls for the integration of the aspirations of humanism, with the emerging sciences of complex biology. He invites us to reach outward to a deep connection with nature and to understand the web of life, and inward to a scientific but empathetic understanding of the human mind. Together we'll seek clarity about human relations and the consequences of social arrangements.

MEET DR. MARK REIMERS
Mark is a quantitative neuroscientist at Michigan State University, whose research aims to uncover how dynamic brain activity gives rise to thoughts and feelings. He has worked at the US National Institutes of Health, the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, and at Michigan State University. His broader aim is to ground our understanding of feeling and thought in the facts of biology.

Dr. Reimers was the leader of the Richmond Humanists in Virginia for five years, and now leads the UU Forum in Lansing, and speaks frequently at humanist and science outreach events in Michigan. We are pleased to have him back with us at West Hill!