A Philosophy of Humanism Symposium Event
Title of Presentation: The Secular Enlightenment Vision – And What it Means For Us Today
Presentation Summary: The increasingly secular modern world is largely a product of the Western Enlightenment, a body of thought that promoted a global humanistic ethic, encouraged the rise of modern science, was highly anticlerical, and made possible the creation of a democratic United States. In spite of the often naive optimism of Enlightenment thinkers, this talk, based on a book written by the speaker, will argue that the Enlightenment vision remains the right goal for a better world. Jordan predicts this goal will be realized, if only after a long struggle against the inertia of history and pervasive ignorance and superstition.
Biography: Stuart Jordan is a retired senior staff scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and is currently president of the Institute for Science and Human Values. He holds a doctorate in physics and astrophysics and is a Rhodes Scholar. A long time AHA member, Jordan has been a regional secular humanist leader in the Washington, DC area for over two decades.