Valluvar - Humanist or a Humanitarian?

Valluvar - Humanist or a Humanitarian?

Dr. R. Prabhakaran

 

Introduction

Thiruvalluvar, also known as Valluvar, was a Tamil philosopher who authored a remarkable book called Thirukkual, or the Kural for short. The Kural is a classic Tamil language text consisting of 1,330 couplets or kurals of seven words each. The text is divided into three books with aphoristic teachings on virtue, wealth, and love. The Kural is considered one of the greatest works ever written on ethics and morality. In the Kural, Valluvar emphasizes equality, rationalism, morality, ethics, love, compassion, charity, and munificence as essential virtues to be practiced by everyone. A deep study of the Kural reveals close similarities between the virtues emphasized by Valluvar and the modern concepts of humanism and humanitarianism. This essay compares Valluvar’s ideas with the concepts of humanism and humanitarianism.  

 

Humanism

Humanism and humanitarianism are two different philosophies. But, sometimes, people fail to grasp the inherent differences between these two concepts and use them interchangeably in their writings and conversations. According to the Humanist Manifesto III, adopted in 2003, "Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity." Prof. Stephen Law, a British philosopher and senior lecturer at the University of London summarizes the basic beliefs of humanism as follows:

·         Humanists believe that science and reason should apply to all areas of life. No beliefs should be considered off-limits and protected from rational scrutiny.

·         Humanists are either atheists or at least agnostics. They are also skeptical about the existence of angels, demons, and other such supernatural beings.

·         Humanists do not believe in reincarnation. They also reject the existence of a soul.

·         Humanists strongly believe in the importance of moral values. They believe that moral and ethical values are derived from human needs and interests as tested by experience, and they should not be based on religious values.

·         Life's fulfillment emerges from individual participation in the service of humane ideals.

·         Humanists believe that working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness.

According to a Humanist Magazine, "Humanism is a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion. It derives its goals of life from human needs and interest rather than from theological or ideological abstractions and asserts that humanity must take responsibility for its destiny." Many prominent scientists, Nobel laureates, doctors, philosophers, authors, and scholars who are humanists subscribe to the ideologies of rationalism, atheism, or agnosticism. They seem to have a sincere concern for human welfare and believe in the human ability to solve human problems without any help from supernatural powers.

Valluvar and Humanism

Valluvar and religion: Valluvar does mention God in some of the kurals. In kural 1, he mentions that God is first in this world, just as the letter "A "is first in the alphabet. Although he does not explicitly state that God created this world, this kural is interpreted by many commentators to imply Valluvar's faith in God as the Creator. In kural 5, Valluvar says that the good and evil consequences arising from the actions based on the darkness of illusion (ignorance) shall not impact those who delight in the praise of God. In kural 2, he asks, "What does one gain from all the learning if one does not worship the good feet of Him who is the personification of pure knowledge?" Valluvar also believes in the existence of a soul, which takes a series of incarnations. In fact, he says that death is like sleep, and birth is the awakening from it (kural - 339). He wonders whether there is no permanent place for the soul, which leaves the body at the time of death like the fledgling that flees its nest when it is ready to fly (kural – 340). The kurals 339 and 340 imply that the human soul is permanent, and the human body is only a temporary abode for the human soul. Like sleep and awakening, a soul keeps taking incarnations one after the other. Valluvar offers two solutions to sever the chain of births and deaths. In kural 10, he says that those who become united with God will be able to cross the ocean of births and deaths (kural – 10). In kural 349, he opines that in order to be free from future births, one should eliminate all attachments that arise out of desires. There are also other kurals that point to Valluvar's beliefs in God, soul, and reincarnation.

 

It is clear that Valluvar believes in God, and he also believes in the permanence of the human soul and that it undergoes an unending sequence of incarnations. These beliefs of Valluvar are not based on any of the three religions (Vedic Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Jainism) that existed during his period. He differs significantly from the three religions of his time. These are his own beliefs based on his own reasoning. In view of his own faith-based beliefs, Valluvar cannot be considered an atheist or an agnostic. However, since his views do not represent any particular religion and due to the fact that he does not advocate any specific religion, Valluvar can be considered a secular philosopher who is an independent thinker.

Valluvar and rationalism: Rationalism is a belief or a theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious beliefs or emotional responses. Obviously, since atheists and agnostics do not have any religious beliefs, they support rationalism and consider it the methodology for arriving at the truth. However, it should be mentioned that rationalism does not help to explain or understand everything. It has its own limitations. For example, if a rationalist is asked, "Where did the universe come from?" his response would be, "It came as a result of the Big Bang, which occurred about 14 billion years ago." However, at present, rationalists and cosmologists do not have any answers to questions like, "Why did the Big Bang occur?", "What was there before the Big Bang?" Anthropologists estimate that human beings have been living on earth for almost 200,000 years. So, it has taken nearly 200,000 years to come up with the Big Bang theory. Therefore, it is uncertain if and when science can offer additional explanations to unravel the mysteries of the universe. Also, it is quite likely that there could always be a question to which science may not have an answer. Therefore, when it comes to questions like the universe and its origin, an ordinary individual has three options. One option is to take the answers provided by science and wait for science to come up with further explanations. The second option is to be completely indifferent and ignore such questions as irrelevant. The third option is to assume that there has to be a Creator who is omnipotent and responsible for all that is created. From a practical standpoint, all three options are equally valid and viable. From the Kural, it appears that Valluvar believes in the last of the three options mentioned above.

Believing in God does not imply that one cannot be rational in other areas of investigations. For example, in the past, there have been several well-known scientists who believed in a Creator and perhaps even belonged to a religion of their choice. Even now, there are many scientists who believe in God or a higher power. According to a survey of scientists who are members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science conducted in 2009 by the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan fact tank located in Washington D. C., 51% of scientists believed in God or a universal spirit or a higher power. In fact, 33% of the scientists believed in God, and 18% believed in a universal spirit or a higher power. Their religious beliefs do not seem to cloud their scientific thinking. Similarly, in the case of Valluvar, his belief in God does not hinder his ability to have a rational outlook on other matters. For example, he insists, "Whatever be the apparent nature of things, it is wise to investigate their true nature (kural – 355)." Free inquiry into the nature of things is the basis of science. Valluvar's suggestion that one should investigate the true nature of things is entirely compatible with rational thinking and scientific methodologies. He also states, "True wisdom is to discern the truth in whatever is said by whomsoever (kural – 423)." The idea behind this kural is somewhat similar to that of kural 355. Based on kural 423, one can conclude that Valluvar is open to the inquiry of all statements made by anyone. A typical religious person would not be open to questioning his own religious dogmas. Since Valluvar does not endorse any religion as the ultimate truth, he is open to the inquiry of all statements made by anyone. According to him, individuals should investigate and believe whatever they feel comfortable with and should not blindly follow any faith. The kurals mentioned above are consistent with the humanists' philosophy that "No beliefs should be considered off-limits and be protected from rational scrutiny."

Valluvar and Human Effort

                Humanists depend upon their effort to accomplish their objectives. Since they do not believe in God or other supernatural powers, they do not expect any help from such non-existent entities. Most religious people believe in the human effort as a necessary requirement for achieving their objectives. They may believe that total reliance on human effort alone may not be sufficient. They may believe in the power of prayer and hope that praying to God may help to accomplish their objectives. Of course, this is entirely a question of personal preference based on one's convictions. As mentioned before, Valluvar believes in God. But despite his belief in God, he emphasizes determination, dedication, and persistent hard work as the necessary factors to accomplish one's objectives in life. He does not mention prayer as a prerequisite for accomplishing one's objectives in worldly affairs. His emphasis is on self-reliance rather than on religious beliefs. He says, "One should not feel disheartened when a task seems impossible; persistent efforts will lead to greatness (kural – 611)." He also believes that persistent hard work will bring about good fortune, and indolence will bring about poverty (kural – 616). Valluvar is pragmatic, and he realizes that despite persistent hard work, there may be unforeseen random events that could interfere with one's ability to accomplish one's objectives. He says, "What is more powerful than unpredictable random events (fate)? Even if one plans to overcome them, they will interfere with one's plans (kural – 380)." Although he realizes the inevitability of unexpected interruptions to one's plans, Valluvar believes, "People who work hard with ceaseless industry will overcome the obstacles created by the unpredictable random events (kural  - 620)." Valluvar's proposed solution to all adversities and obstacles on the path to success is to laugh at them and face them boldly. He says, "Laugh at adversity; there is nothing better than laughter to overcome adversity (kural – 621)." In addition to offering encouragement and support for persistent hard work, he also says, "Even if gods do not help you, your hard work will certainly be rewarded (kural – 619)." So, it is clear that Valluvar's advice to achieve success in life is self-reliance and hard work and not prayer. Valluvar's emphasis on hard work rather than dependence on prayer is similar to the humanist philosophy of self-reliance.

Valluvar and moral values: Moral values are discussed throughout the Kural. However, the section on Virtue is entirely dedicated to moral values and ethical behavior. Valluvar's ideas on virtue can be grouped into two major categories. One is the set of ideas which are about behaviors and practices that one should avoid. The other is the set of ideas about the pursuit of positive behaviors and practices intended to help others without expecting anything in return.

 Valluvar believes in the equality of all human beings. He denounces the prevalent class system during his period and declares that all are equal by birth. In fact, he declares," All human beings are equal by birth, but distinctions arise only because of the different qualities of their actions (kural – 972)." He insists that everyone should have empathy for his fellow human beings. He wonders, "If one cannot treat others' sufferings as his own, what benefit has one gained from his intelligence (kural – 315)?" He cannot comprehend "Why does a man inflict upon other living beings those things he found harmful to himself (kural – 318)?"

 

Valluvar's idea of nonviolence is reminiscent of the so-called Golden Rule, which states, "Do not do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you." Although this version of the Golden Rule is attributed to the Chinese Philosopher Confucius, this moral axiom appears in various forms in the writings of almost every culture and religion throughout history. It must be mentioned that Valluvar goes above and beyond the Golden Rule when he suggests, "The proper punishment for the one who has done evil to you is to do him something good in return and make him feel ashamed of himself (kural – 314)." According to Valluvar, "It is the supreme virtue not to have a harmful thought about anybody in any degree at any moment (kural 317)." Since thought precedes words and deeds, if one does not have an evil thought in his mind, then he would not hurt others' feelings by uttering harsh words and harm others by his actions.

 

According to humanists, moral and ethical values are derived from human needs and interests as tested by experience, and they should not be based on religious values. For example, humanists are in total agreement with the Golden Rule. In the view of Greg M. Epstein, a Humanist Chaplain at  Harvard University, "The Golden Rule is a concept that essentially no religion misses entirely. But not even one of these versions of the golden rule requires a God."  Likewise, Valluvar's ideas regarding equality, empathy, avoiding evil thoughts, harsh words, and harmful deeds towards others are based on socially acceptable good conduct rules. They are not based on religious mandates. From his point of view, they represent acceptable and ethical human behavior, and they are the right code of conduct in the interest of the individual and society. So, Valluvar's views on moral values are completely consistent with those of the humanists.

Humanitarianism

Humanitarianism can be defined as an ethical doctrine that emphasizes concern and action towards human welfare and social reform. A true humanitarian strives to promote human welfare and social reforms and has no prejudice based on gender, sexual orientation, religion, or race. A humanitarian's goal is to save lives, relieve suffering, provide food and shelter, and medical assistance for the poor, homeless, and needy out of kindness and compassion. In the course of human history, there have been many humanitarians. They have either contributed large sums of money or personally engaged in services aimed at eradicating diseases, feeding the poor, providing medical assistance to the needy, educating the underprivileged, etc. Although the humanists have humanitarianism as one of their basic principles, the humanitarians are the ones who seem to put the principles into practice. Unlike the humanists, the humanitarians are not necessarily atheists or agnostics. Religious affiliation is neither a necessity nor a hindrance to one's humanitarian pursuits. In the case of some humanitarians, religion can motivate them to dedicate their lives and resources to humanitarian projects in anticipation of benefits in the other world.

 

Valluvar emphasizes the importance of love and compassion in several kurals. He says, "Love is the quintessence of life; without it, a man is nothing but a frame of bones covered with skin (kural 80)." He adds, "The soul is linked with the body because of its inborn relationship with love (kural – 73)." In other words, he contends that love towards fellow human beings is an inherent human emotion in a human being. But this inherent noble emotion in the human mind is often hidden and suppressed by the pollutants like envy, covetousness, anger, greed, etc. According to Valluvar, "Having a mind free of pollutants (blemishes or impure thoughts) is the true virtue; all else is an empty show (kural – 34)." Valluvar encourages his readers to recognize this and develop a mind which is free of pollutants and follow the path of love. He is of the opinion that "Those who are destitute of love will keep everything to themselves, but those who possess love will give even their bones to others (kural 72)." In Valluvar's scheme of things, compassion is an outgrowth of love. Love and compassion motivate one to share his food, wealth, and all resources at his disposal with others who are in need.

 

In addition to love and compassion, Valluvar firmly believes in the equality of all human beings. He is also convinced that intelligence in a human being should evoke a feeling of empathy for others' sufferings. The combination of love, compassion, a feeling of equality, and empathy for others' sufferings makes one a natural humanitarian. It is this humanitarian feeling of Valluvar that manifests itself in the form of his insistence on hospitality even towards strangers, sharing one's resources with others who need help.

 

During the days of Valluvar, there were no hotels or restaurants where travelers could stay or feed themselves during the course of their travels. Valluvar strongly recommends that hospitality towards travelers - even if they are strangers - is the duty of a householder. He says, "The purpose of leading a family life is to entertain (provide food and shelter) guests (kural – 81)." He adds, "Even if you were consuming the nectar of immortality, you should share it with your guests (kural – 82)." It should be noted that in the terminology of the Kural, guests refer to strangers and not relatives.

 

Valluvar considers charity and munificence as two essential virtues to be practiced by everyone. According to him, "Giving to the needy alone is real charity; all the rest is an investment in anticipation of a return (kural – 221)." To him, an act of charity is something that one should do out of compassion and kindness. He insists that an act of charity has to be carried out even if there is no heavenly reward (kural – 222). Valluvar attaches so much importance to charity that he says, "Nothing is more painful than death; even death will be sweet if one finds himself unable to relieve the distress of others (kural – 230). "

 

In addition to charity, Valluvar also proposes that one should practice munificence. Charity is a way of helping someone who asks for help. Munificence refers to acts of generosity aimed at a large number of people. Valluvar's emphasis on munificence is evident when he says, "All the wealth gained from hard work is to serve the deserving others (kural - 212)." Valluvar’s model for munificence is the rain-bearing cloud. He says, “Munificence does not expect anything in return. What can the world give back in return to the rain-bearing clouds (kural -211)?”  In Valluvar’s opinion, “Only those who know and practice munificence are the ones who can be considered as truly living; others will be reckoned with the dead (kural - 214).”

 

Valluvar considers that the humanitarian acts of hospitality, charity, and munificence result from love, kindness, compassion, and empathy, and they are not religious mandates. They are to be done without expecting any reward in this world or in the next world.

 

Conclusion

In the absence of any reliable biographic information, one cannot say anything with absolute certainty about the personal life of Valluvar.  But, based on his work, we can arrive at some logical conclusions. In kural 819, Valluvar says, “Association with those whose words and deeds do not match is bitter even in dreams.”  Since he stresses the need for consistency between one’s words and deeds, it is reasonable to assume that his behavior would have been consistent with his philosophy. He can be considered a secular humanist based on his secular outlook, advocacy for rationalism, emphasis on self-reliance, insistence on human efforts, and love of humanity. His emphasis on hospitality, charity, and munificence is a testament to his humanitarianism. So, it is reasonable to conclude that Valluvar must have been a secular humanist who was also a humanitarian extraordinaire.

References:

Stephen Law. Humanism:  A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. 2011

http://americanhumanist.org/Humanism/Definitions_of_Humanism

http://wwwpewforum.org/2009/11/05/scientists-and-belief/

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Appendix – C

Partial List of Famous Humanists[6]

·         Ralph Alpher: American cosmologist. He is famous for the seminal paper on Big Bang nucleosynthesis called the Alpher–Bethe–Gamow paper.

·         Philip Warren Anderson: American physicist and Nobel laureate in Physics. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Isaac Asimov: President of the American Humanist Association from 1985 to his death in 1992, and he was a Humanist Laureate in the International Academy of Humanism.

·         Buddha

·         Leonard Bernstein: American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim.

·         Niels Bohr: Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum mechanics, for which he received the Nobel in 1922.

·         Paul D. Boyer: American biochemist, analytical chemist, and a professor of chemistry at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). He shared the 1997Nobel Prize in Chemistry for research on the "enzymatic mechanism underlying the biosynthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)" (ATP synthase). He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Owen Chamberlain: American physicist and Nobel laureate in Physics. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Confucius: A Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history.

·         Paul J. Crutzen: Dutch Nobel Prize–winning atmospheric chemist. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Richard Dawkins: Mr. Dawkins was named Humanist of the Year in 1996 by the American Humanist Association, and is a Humanist Laureate in the International Academy of Humanism.

·         Johann Deisenhofer: German biochemist who, along with Hartmut Michel and Robert Huber, received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1988 for their determination of the first crystal structure of an integral membrane protein, a membrane-bound complex of proteins and co-factors that is essential tophotosynthesis. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Paul Dirac:  English theoretical physicist who made fundamental contributions to the early development of both quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for 1933 with Erwin Schrödinger, "for the discovery of new productive forms of atomic theory."

·         Albert Einstein: Served on the advisory board of the First Humanist Society of New York.

·         Richard Feynman: American physicist known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics, and the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, as well as in particle physics (he proposed the parton model). For his contributions to the development of quantum electrodynamics, Feynman, jointly with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga, received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965.

·         Joseph Fourier: French mathematician and physicist best known for initiating the investigation of Fourier series and their applications to problems of heat transfer and vibrations. The Fourier transform and Fourier's Law are also named in his honor. Fourier is also generally credited with the discovery of the greenhouse effect.

·         Sigmund Freud:  Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis.

·         Jerome Isaac Friedman: American physicist and Nobel laureate in Physics. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         John Kenneth Galbraith: American economist. He was a Keynesian and an institutionalist, a leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism. Named Humanist of the Year in 1985 by the American Humanist Association.

·         Pierre-Gilles de Gennes: French physicist and the Nobel  laureate in Physics in 1991. Notable Signer of the Humanist Manifesto III.

·         Sheldon Lee Glashow: Nobel Prize–winning American theoretical physicist. He is the Metcalf Professor of Mathematics and Physics at Boston University and Higgins Professor of Physics, Emeritus, at Harvard University. Notable Signer of the Humanist Manifesto III.

·         David Gross: American particle physicist and string theorist. Along with Frank Wilczek and David Politzer, he was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of asymptotic freedom. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Herbert A. Hauptman: American mathematician and Nobel laureate in Chemistry. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto. In 2006, the American Humanist Association presented Hauptman with the Isaac Asimov Science Award.

·         Aldous Huxley (1894-1963): English writer best known for novels, such as Brave New World, and essays on a wide range of topics.

·         Julian Huxley: Self-described "scientific humanist," and presided over the founding congress of the International Humanist and Ethical Union. He was named Humanist of the Year by the American Humanist Association in 1962.

·         Jack Kevorkian: Presented with the Humanist Hero Award in 1994 by the American Humanist Association.

·         Abraham Maslow: American professor of psychology at Brandeis University, Brooklyn College, New School for Social Research and Columbia University who created Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Named Humanist of the Year in 1967 by the American Humanist Association.

·         Hermann Joseph Muller: American geneticist, educator, and Nobel laureate best known for his work on the physiological and genetic effects of radiation(X-ray mutagenesis) as well as his outspoken political beliefs. Named Humanist of the Year in 1963 by the American Humanist Association.

·         Erwin Neher: German biophysicist and Nobel Laureate in Medicine. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         J. Robert Oppenheimer: American theoretical physicist and professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley. Along with Enrico Fermi, he is often called the "father of the atomic bomb" for his role in the Manhattan Project.

·         Ilya Prigogine: Belgian physical chemist and Nobel laureate in Chemistry. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Richard J. Roberts: British biochemist, molecular biologist and Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Carl Rogers: American psychologist and one of the founders of the humanistic approach to psychology. Towards the end of his life, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with national intergroup conflict in South Africa and Northern Ireland. Named Humanist of the Year in 1964 by the American.

·         Joseph Rotblat: Polish-born, British-naturalized physicist. A signatory of the Russell–Einstein Manifesto, he was secretary general of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs from its founding until 1973. In conjunction with the Pugwash Conferences, he received the Prize in 1995 for their efforts towards nuclear disarmament.

·         Salman Rushdie: Humanist Laureate in the International Academy of Humanism, and he received the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism from the American Humanist Association in 2007.

·         Bertrand Russell: British philosopher, mathematician and academic. While refusing to label himself as a humanist (preferring to be called a rationalist or skeptic), he was a member of the British Humanist Association.

·         Carl Sagan:  He was named Humanist of the Year by the American Humanist Association in 1981, and was a Humanist Laureate in the International Academy of Humanism.

·         Jonas Salk: American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. Named Humanist of the Year in 1976 by the American Humanist Association.

·         Andrei Sakharov: Soviet nuclear physicist, dissident and human rights activist. Named Humanist of the Year in 1980 by the American Humanist Association.

·          Jean-Paul Sartre: French existentialist and Marxist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, biographer, activist, and critic; author of Existentialism is a Humanism.

·         Erwin Schrödinger: Austrian physicist who developed a number of fundamental results in the field of quantum theory, which formed the basis of wave mechanics. He formulated the wave equation (stationary and time-dependent Schrödinger equation) and revealed the identity of his development of the formalism and matrix mechanics.

·         B.F. Skinner: American behaviorist, author, inventor, social philosopher and poet. Named Humanist of the Year in 1972 by the American Humanist Association.

·         Benjamin Spock: American pediatrician whose book Baby and Child Care, published in 1946, is one of the biggest best-sellers of all time. In addition to his pediatric work, Spock was an activist in the New Left and anti Vietnam War movements during the 1960s and early 1970s. Named Humanist of the Year in 1968 by the American Humanist Association

·         Gloria Steinem: American feminist and political activist. Named a Humanist Pioneer in 1978 and Humanist of the Year in 2012, both by the American Humanist Association.

·          John Sulston: British biologist. He is a joint winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine along with Sydney Brenner and H. Robert Horvitz. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Henry Taube: Canadian-born American chemist and Nobel laureate in Chemistry. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         E. Donnall Thomas: American physician and Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine. He was one of 21 Nobel Laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

·         Ted Turner: American entrepreneur. Named Humanist of the Year in 1990 by the American Humanist Association.

·         Mark Twain: American author and humorist. He is most noted for his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

·         Gore Vidal: American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. Vidal was Honorary President of the American Humanist Association from April 2009 until his death in 2012, and was presented with the organization's Humanist Arts Award in 1984.

·         James D. Watson: Co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, and a Humanist Laureate in the International Academy of Humanism.

·         Steven Weinberg: American theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate in Physics for his contributions with Abdul Salam and Sheldon Glashow to the unification of the weak force and electromagnetic interaction between elementary particles. Named Humanist of the Year in 2002 by the American Humanist Association.

·         Walt Whitman: American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse.

Appendix – D

A partial List of famous of Humanitarians[7]

A partial list of famous humanitarians (in no particular order) of the 20^th and 21^st centuries who have actively worked to help and improve life for their fellow human beings.

Abbe Pierre (1912-2007): French humanitarian who founded charity Emmaus movement to help refugees and the homeless.

Mother Teresa (1910-1997):  Born in Albania, lived in India. She devoted her life to serving the poor and neglected people in society. Her mission worked in countries across the world.

Bill Gates  (1955 - ): Few other humanitarians can match their talk of good deeds with the actual amount the founder of Microsoft has put up. Although Gates donates to a variety of causes, one of his most devoted causes is the fight against malaria. As part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he has received various awards for his humanitarian efforts.  He is estimated to give away $60 billion for humanitarian causes.

Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997): Active in many charities seeking to improve human welfare from AIDS to the campaign to prevent landmines.

Martin Luther King (1929 – 1968): American Civil rights activists seeking to end racism and discrimination through non-violent methods.

Edith Cavell (1865-1915) : British nurse in the First World War. Executed as a spy for helping Allied soldiers to escape Belgium.

Rosa Parks (1913-2005): American civil rights activist who launched campaign to end segregation by refusing to give up her seat on the bus.

Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910): British nurse (born in Italy) who helped improve standards of hospitals and nursing. Nightingale analyzed studies of hospital treatment and found certain practices which improved survival rates.

Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845): British Quaker who campaigned for better conditions in prisons, also set up charities for homeless and poor.

Bob Geldof (1951-): Irish singer / song writer and fund raiser for charities in the developing world. Famous for being driving force behind ‘Band Aid’ in 1984.

Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993): British actress and humanitarian. Worked for many years with UNESCO in the developing world.

Helen Keller (1880-1968): Deaf blind from the age of two, Keller helped de stigmatise the disability and campaigned for better conditions for the blind.

William Wilberforce (1759-1833): English politician, philanthropist and leading figure in the campaign to end slavery in Britain. Wilberforce also supported other social reform, such as supporting the animal welfare.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948): Leader of Indian independence movement. Advocated use of non-violent protest. He sought to unite different religious traditions and also sought to improve welfare of the ‘untouchable’ caste and Indian women.

Buddha (563BC – 486BC): Spiritual teacher who sought to offer a way for men to find a way out of suffering. He taught extensively across India teaching a message of

George Orwell (1903-1950): Campaigning journalist who lived amongst the poorest members of society during Great Depression to write about their experiences. Also volunteered to fight in the Spanish civil war.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962): Involved in many charities and keen supporter of the United Nations. Helped to draw up charter on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Raisa Gorbachev (1932-1999): Wife of Mikhail Gorbachev. Involved in many Russian charities.

Lord Baden Powell (1857-1941): Founder of the Scouts movement.

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1869): US Campaigner against slavery. Her novel ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ helped challenge attitudes on slavery.

William Booth (1812-1892): English Christian missionary who founded the Salvation Army in the Nineteenth Century. The Salvation Army sought to give Christian charity to the poorest members of society.

Tegla Laroupe (1973 – ): Kenyan distance runner. Since retirement she has he has devoted herself to various initiatives promoting peace, education and women’s rights.

Albert Einstein. (1879 – 1955) Einstein was leading physicist of his generation. He also adopted strong positions on pacifism and spoke in favor of international co-operation.

Warren Buffett (1930 - ):  Mr. Warren Buffett is planning to give most of his 40 Billion fortune to the Gates Foundation and other related organizations which focus on world health.

Chuck Feeney  (1931 - ): Charles Francis "Chuck" Feeney founder of Duty Free Shops has contributed millions of dollars to universities and hospitals.  He is an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist and the founder of The Atlantic Philanthropies, one of the largest private foundations in the world.  The board of his foundation has instructions to give away every penny of his 8 billion dollar fortune by 2016.

George Soros (1930 - ):  Mr. Soros is estimated to have given away over six billion to humanitarian efforts. The Chairman of Soros Fund Management, LLC, he is one of the world’s most successful financiers. The Open Society Foundation is his humanitarian organization and supports democracy and human rights in over 70 countries.

Paul David Hewson (1960 - ):  Paul David Hewson, known by his stage name Bono, is a singer-songwriter, musician, venture capitalist, businessman, and philanthropist. Using both his fame and his own fortune, he has fought everything from war to disease. Some of his philanthropic efforts include efforts to quell famine in Ethiopia, AIDS in Africa, and the environment.

Andrew Carnegie  (1835 – 1919): In the 19th century, Andrew Carnegie was the richest man in the world and made his fortune at the dawn of the industrial age. In addition to giving away millions of dollars, which was unheard of at that time, he was one of the first wealthy men to believe it was a disgrace to die rich.

Johns Hopkins (1795 – 1873): Although his name is often associated with medical, he amassed with wealth through banking and smart investing. Out of his eight million dollar wealth, also a significant amount at the time, he left seven million to endow a university, a hospital, and medical school. After his death in 1873, the will was carried out and the institutions still stand today.

Oprah Winfrey (1954 - ): Ms. Oprah Winfrey is well known for her humanitarian efforts. One of her best known accomplishments was the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. She also has her own foundation which donates millions to fight poverty, build dreams, and much more.

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[1] One who denies the  existence of God

[2] One who is not committed to believing  in either the  existence or the nonexistence of God

[3] http://americanhumanist.org/Humanism/Definitions_of_Humanism

[4] http://wwwpewforum.org/2009/11/05/scientists-and-belief/

[5] Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 

[6] Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_humanists

[7] Adapted from  http://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian.html