This web blog is a means of communicating ideas and views on many aspects of life from a Revolutionary Humanist perspective. That is to say from a perspective based upon humanist and humane values but which are linked with the realisation that the present economic and social system dominated by Capital requires revolutionary change. This change is necessary for the system of Capital tragically distorts the planets eco-systems and human life-styles, not only limiting real choice but destroying lives and environments. The articles and postings will, therefore, deal critically with all those aspects of life which support the existing system in any way, but from a non-sectarian and non-dogmatic stance. In particular religious totalitarian and particularist ideologies along with their political equivalents will be critically examined and their logic explored.
The suggested revolutionary-humanist position on knowledge is that there is no such thing as absolute truth, for human beings are fallible and even honest ones make mistakes in judgement and in fact. Experimental researches whose results can be replicated do not provide exactly the same results each time. Even those tightly controlled are conducted by human beings with subjective desires, passions and foibles. Knowledge, even knowledge of assumed facts, are better considered as hypotheses rather than absolute truth. This is because even where there is not deliberate distortion, there will undoubtedly be further advances in all fields which indicate that a previously thought exactness or correctness, was mistaken and therefore false or only partially true – and then only under certain circumstances. However, this anti-dogmatic and anti-absolute certainty view does not have to lead to a dispassionate relativism in which one opinion is judged no better and no worse than another. Some approximations and hypotheses fit the circumstances better than others and thus are more useful than others. Some views are more humane than others and can be judged so even if they may not yet contain perfect solutions. However, even then, Bertrand Russell’s advice that ‘Whenever you are sure of something; maintain it with doubt’, is a sensible watchword. We learn through mistakes – our own and others. We also all benefit from the thoughts of generations who struggled and erred before us as well as those who struggle with us and against us. Criticism, and self-criticism in the sense of actively seeking out our mistakes and remedying them is the motor force of advances in knowledge and understanding. Accordingly, opinion and views will be sought from a wide range of traditional and contemporary sources, but none will be judged as ’authoritative’ and all will be open to criticism. It is hoped that such postings, comments and evaluations, which may differ, will be delivered in the spirit of constructive criticism and the rational search for an improved understanding rather than the too often displayed form of sectarian ranting abuse.
Since this site only commenced in August 2008 it may take a month or so to get all the articles fully transferred to the site.