HUMANIST ETHOLOGY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/eph.v17i2.43Keywords:
humanism, ethics, moral educationAbstract
Ethology is the study of animal behavior and consequently includes the morals and ethics of the human animal. This essay concerns the question of how we might optimize our ethology in the broadest sense in order to live in the best possible way. Assuming we are nontheists then the question becomes how we might construct an ethology based on human reason and serving our human motivations or, in other words, a humanist ethology.
References
Aristotle (1992) “The Nicomachean Ethics” in “Introduction to Aristotle” Modern Library Edition.
Balsalla, George, (1988) “The Evolution of Technology,” Cambridge University Press.
Bennett, Jeffrey (2008) “Beyond UFOs,” Princeton University Press.
Blackburn, Simon, (2005) “Truth: A guide for the Perplexed,” Penguin Books
Brinkerhoff, David B. and Lynn K.White (1988) “”Sociology” 2nd Ed., West Publishing Co.
Checkland, Peter (1981) “Systems Thinking, Systems Practice,” John Wiley.
Clark, Andy (2003) “Natural-Born Cyborgs,” Oxford University Press.
Compte-Sponville, Andre (1996) “A Small Treatise on the Great Virtues,” Metropolitan Books.
Covey, Stephen R., (1991) “Principle Centered Leadership,” Summit Books.
Darwin, Charles, (1859)“On The Origin of Species” see “From So Simple a Beginning” Ed. E.O. Wilson (2006) W.W. Norton & Co.
Darwin, Charles, (1872)“The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals” see “From So Simple a Beginning” ed. E.O. Wilson (2006) W.W. Norton & Co.
Dennett, Daniel, (2003) “Freedom Evolves” Viking Press.
Dewey, John, (1932) “Ethics,” reprinted in John Dewey: The Later Works, 1925-1953, Ed. Jo Ann Boydston, Southern Illinois University Press.
Dewey, John, (1939) “Theory of Valuation” vol. II, International Encyclopedia of Unified Science, Otto Neurath Ed.
Drucker, Peter, (1973) “Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices,” Harper & Row.
Drucker, Peter, (1990) “Managing the Non-Profit Organization,” Harper-Collins.
Edwords, Frederick, (1984), "The Humanist Philosophy in Perspective" The Humanist, Jan/Feb vol. 44.
Ellis, Albert, (1961), “A Guide to Rational Living,” Wilshire Book Co., 1997.
Finch, Robert D. (1992) “What we Owe to Others: Humanist Ethics and Systems” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Eds. M. Hillar and H.R. Leuchtag, vol. 1, 41-54.
Finch, Robert D., (1998) “The Humanist Lifestance: Important Issues in the Lives of Individuals” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 6, Eds., R.D. Finch, Marian Hillar and Frank Prahl.
Finch, Robert D.(1999) “Humanist Futures” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, vol. 7, 30-57, Eds. Robert D. Finch, Marian Hillar and Frank Prahl.
Finch, Robert D. (2000) “Evolution, Adaptive Systems and Humanism” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Ed. Marian Hillar, vol. 8, 28-51.
Finch, Robert D. (2001) “The Evolution of Religion” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Ed. Marian Hillar, vol. 9, 1-24
Finch, Robert D. (2002) “The Evolution of Humanism” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Ed. Marian Hillar, vol. 10, 87-116
Finch, Robert D., (2006) “The Humanist Heritage: Preservation, Improvement and Promotion” Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 14, Marian Hillar, editor
Finch, Robert D., (2008) “Ethical and Moral Systems” Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 16 part 1, Marian Hillar, editor
Finlayson, James Gordon, (2005), “Habermas: A Very Short Introduction,” Oxford University Press.
Fletcher, Joseph (1966) “Situation Ethics: The New Morality,” Westminster Press.
Frank, R.H. (1988), “Passions Within Reason: The Strategic Role of the Emotions,” Norton
Friedman, Milton (1962) “Capitalism & Freedom” University of Chicago Press.
Friedrich, Carl J., (1949) “The Philosophy of Kant” Random House.
Fromm, Erich, (1947) “Man for Himself: An Enquiry into the Psychology of Ethics,” Owl Book Edition, 1990.
Gell-Mann, Murray, (1994), “The Quark and the Jaguar: Adventures in the Simple and the Complex,” W.H. Freeman & Co.
Gleitman, Henry, (1986) “Psychology,” Norton.
Goodell, Edward, (1994) “The Noble Philosopher: Condorcet and the Enlightenment,” Prometheus Books.
Grayling, A.C. (2003), “What is Good? The Search for the Best Way to Live” Weidenfeld & Nicholson.
Hauser, Marc D., (2006) “Moral Minds: How Nature Designed our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong,” Harper Collins
Hickman, Larry A. (1990) “John Dewey’s Pragmatic Technology” Indiana University Press.
Hobbes, Thomas (1651) “The Leviathan,” Prometheus Books edition, 1988.
Hume, David, (1739 & 1740) “A Treatise of Human Nature,” with Introduction by Michael P. Levine, Barnes & Noble, 2005
Hume, David, (1748) “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding,” Edited by Eric Steinberg, Hackett Publishing Company, 1977.
Hume, David, (1777) “An Enquiry Concerning The Principles of Morals” in “Enquiries,” Edited by L.A. Selby-Bigge, Third Edition with notes by P.H. Nidditch, Clarendon Press,1975
Hume, David, (1777b) “On the Origin of Government” in “Essays: Moral, Political and Literary,” The Liberty Fund, (1985)
Huxley, Julian, (1964) “Evolutionary Humanism,” Prometheus Books Ed. 1992
Inwood, Brad, L.P. Gerson and D.S. Hutchinson (1994), “The Epicurus Reader,” Hackett Publishing Co.
James, William (1890) “Principles of Psychology,” Henry Holt.
Kant, Immanuel, (1783) “Prolegomena”. First English edition 1902 Open Court Publishing Company.
Kant, Immanuel, (1785) “The Metaphysical Foundations of Morals”
Kant, Immanuel, (1788) “The Critique of Pure Practical Reason”
Kant, Immanuel, (1790) “Critique of Judgement”. Oxford University Press edition published in 1945.
Kant, Immanuel, (1795) “Eternal Peace”.
Kidder, Rushworth M., (1995) “How Good People Make Tough Choices,” Simon & Schuster.
Kurtz, Paul (1980), “Does Humanism have an Ethic of Responsibility?” in “Humanist Ethics,” Morris B. Storer, Ed., Prometheus Press.
Kurtz Paul (1983), "A Secular Humanist Declaration,” in "In Defense of Secular Humanism,” Prometheus Books.
Kurtz, Paul (1988) "Forbidden Fruit: the Ethics of Humanism," Prometheus Books.
Kurtz, Paul (1989) "Eupraxophy," Prometheus Books.
Kurtz, Paul (2006) “Creating Secular and Humanist Alternatives to Religion” in Free Inquiry, vol. 26, No. 5, pp 4-8.
Kurzweil, Ray, (2005) “The Singularity Is Near,” Viking Press.
Lamont, Corliss (1982), "Central Propositions of Humanism" from "Philosophy of Humanism,” Ungar, 6th edition and see also Humanist Manifestos I and II, in the Appendix.
Livingston, Ken (2006) “God, Aristotle and the New Science of Happiness,” in Free Enquiry 26, 32-38
Marx, Karl, (1867) “Das Kapital”. Abridged edition, Oxford University Press, (1995)
Maslow, Abraham H., (1971) “The Farther Reaches of Human Nature,” Viking.
Plato, (2004) “The Republic,” Barnes and Noble Classics.
Popper, Sir Karl, (1963), "Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge,” Harper & Row.
Rachels, James, and Stuart Rachels (2007) “The Elements of Moral Philosophy,” 5th Ed., McGraw-Hill.
Rapoport, Anatol (1986) “General System Theory: Essential Concepts & Applications,” Abacus Press.
Rawls, John, (1972) “A Theory of Justice” Oxford University Press. Revised Ed., 2003, Belknap Press of Harvard U.P.
Said, Edward, (2004), “Humanism and Democratic Criticism,” Columbia University Press.
Shermer, Michael, (2004), “The Science of Good and Evil,” Henry Holt & Co.
Sidgwick, Henry (1902) “Outlines of the History of Ethics” reprinted in 1988 Hackett Publishing.
Sidgwick, Henry, (1874) “The Methods of Ethics,” 7th edition 1907, republished by Hackett Publishing Co., 1981
Simpson, Lyle L., (2003) “A Humanist Perspective: Maslow’s Purpose for Your Life” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 11, Marian Hillar Editor.
Simpson, Lyle L., (2005) “What is the Purpose for Your Life: A Sequel to A Humanist Perspective: Maslow’s Purpose for Your Life” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 13, Marian Hillar Editor.
Singer, Peter, (1981) “The Expanding Circle: Ethics and Sociobiology,” Clarendon Press
Stearns, Peter N., (1990) “Be a Man! Males in Modern Society,” Holmes and Meier.
Storer, Morris B., Ed., (1980) “Humanist Ethics,” Prometheus Press.
Williams, Bernard, (1995), “The point of view of the universe: Sidgwick and the ambitions of ethics” in “Making Sense of Humanity” Cambridge University Press.
Williams, Bernard, (1996), “Contemporary Philosophy: A Second Look” in “The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy,” Nicholas Bunnin and E.P. Tsui-James, Eds., Blackwell.
Wright, Robert (1994), “The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life” Vintage Books.
Balsalla, George, (1988) “The Evolution of Technology,” Cambridge University Press.
Bennett, Jeffrey (2008) “Beyond UFOs,” Princeton University Press.
Blackburn, Simon, (2005) “Truth: A guide for the Perplexed,” Penguin Books
Brinkerhoff, David B. and Lynn K.White (1988) “”Sociology” 2nd Ed., West Publishing Co.
Checkland, Peter (1981) “Systems Thinking, Systems Practice,” John Wiley.
Clark, Andy (2003) “Natural-Born Cyborgs,” Oxford University Press.
Compte-Sponville, Andre (1996) “A Small Treatise on the Great Virtues,” Metropolitan Books.
Covey, Stephen R., (1991) “Principle Centered Leadership,” Summit Books.
Darwin, Charles, (1859)“On The Origin of Species” see “From So Simple a Beginning” Ed. E.O. Wilson (2006) W.W. Norton & Co.
Darwin, Charles, (1872)“The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals” see “From So Simple a Beginning” ed. E.O. Wilson (2006) W.W. Norton & Co.
Dennett, Daniel, (2003) “Freedom Evolves” Viking Press.
Dewey, John, (1932) “Ethics,” reprinted in John Dewey: The Later Works, 1925-1953, Ed. Jo Ann Boydston, Southern Illinois University Press.
Dewey, John, (1939) “Theory of Valuation” vol. II, International Encyclopedia of Unified Science, Otto Neurath Ed.
Drucker, Peter, (1973) “Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices,” Harper & Row.
Drucker, Peter, (1990) “Managing the Non-Profit Organization,” Harper-Collins.
Edwords, Frederick, (1984), "The Humanist Philosophy in Perspective" The Humanist, Jan/Feb vol. 44.
Ellis, Albert, (1961), “A Guide to Rational Living,” Wilshire Book Co., 1997.
Finch, Robert D. (1992) “What we Owe to Others: Humanist Ethics and Systems” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Eds. M. Hillar and H.R. Leuchtag, vol. 1, 41-54.
Finch, Robert D., (1998) “The Humanist Lifestance: Important Issues in the Lives of Individuals” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 6, Eds., R.D. Finch, Marian Hillar and Frank Prahl.
Finch, Robert D.(1999) “Humanist Futures” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, vol. 7, 30-57, Eds. Robert D. Finch, Marian Hillar and Frank Prahl.
Finch, Robert D. (2000) “Evolution, Adaptive Systems and Humanism” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Ed. Marian Hillar, vol. 8, 28-51.
Finch, Robert D. (2001) “The Evolution of Religion” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Ed. Marian Hillar, vol. 9, 1-24
Finch, Robert D. (2002) “The Evolution of Humanism” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Ed. Marian Hillar, vol. 10, 87-116
Finch, Robert D., (2006) “The Humanist Heritage: Preservation, Improvement and Promotion” Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 14, Marian Hillar, editor
Finch, Robert D., (2008) “Ethical and Moral Systems” Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 16 part 1, Marian Hillar, editor
Finlayson, James Gordon, (2005), “Habermas: A Very Short Introduction,” Oxford University Press.
Fletcher, Joseph (1966) “Situation Ethics: The New Morality,” Westminster Press.
Frank, R.H. (1988), “Passions Within Reason: The Strategic Role of the Emotions,” Norton
Friedman, Milton (1962) “Capitalism & Freedom” University of Chicago Press.
Friedrich, Carl J., (1949) “The Philosophy of Kant” Random House.
Fromm, Erich, (1947) “Man for Himself: An Enquiry into the Psychology of Ethics,” Owl Book Edition, 1990.
Gell-Mann, Murray, (1994), “The Quark and the Jaguar: Adventures in the Simple and the Complex,” W.H. Freeman & Co.
Gleitman, Henry, (1986) “Psychology,” Norton.
Goodell, Edward, (1994) “The Noble Philosopher: Condorcet and the Enlightenment,” Prometheus Books.
Grayling, A.C. (2003), “What is Good? The Search for the Best Way to Live” Weidenfeld & Nicholson.
Hauser, Marc D., (2006) “Moral Minds: How Nature Designed our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong,” Harper Collins
Hickman, Larry A. (1990) “John Dewey’s Pragmatic Technology” Indiana University Press.
Hobbes, Thomas (1651) “The Leviathan,” Prometheus Books edition, 1988.
Hume, David, (1739 & 1740) “A Treatise of Human Nature,” with Introduction by Michael P. Levine, Barnes & Noble, 2005
Hume, David, (1748) “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding,” Edited by Eric Steinberg, Hackett Publishing Company, 1977.
Hume, David, (1777) “An Enquiry Concerning The Principles of Morals” in “Enquiries,” Edited by L.A. Selby-Bigge, Third Edition with notes by P.H. Nidditch, Clarendon Press,1975
Hume, David, (1777b) “On the Origin of Government” in “Essays: Moral, Political and Literary,” The Liberty Fund, (1985)
Huxley, Julian, (1964) “Evolutionary Humanism,” Prometheus Books Ed. 1992
Inwood, Brad, L.P. Gerson and D.S. Hutchinson (1994), “The Epicurus Reader,” Hackett Publishing Co.
James, William (1890) “Principles of Psychology,” Henry Holt.
Kant, Immanuel, (1783) “Prolegomena”. First English edition 1902 Open Court Publishing Company.
Kant, Immanuel, (1785) “The Metaphysical Foundations of Morals”
Kant, Immanuel, (1788) “The Critique of Pure Practical Reason”
Kant, Immanuel, (1790) “Critique of Judgement”. Oxford University Press edition published in 1945.
Kant, Immanuel, (1795) “Eternal Peace”.
Kidder, Rushworth M., (1995) “How Good People Make Tough Choices,” Simon & Schuster.
Kurtz, Paul (1980), “Does Humanism have an Ethic of Responsibility?” in “Humanist Ethics,” Morris B. Storer, Ed., Prometheus Press.
Kurtz Paul (1983), "A Secular Humanist Declaration,” in "In Defense of Secular Humanism,” Prometheus Books.
Kurtz, Paul (1988) "Forbidden Fruit: the Ethics of Humanism," Prometheus Books.
Kurtz, Paul (1989) "Eupraxophy," Prometheus Books.
Kurtz, Paul (2006) “Creating Secular and Humanist Alternatives to Religion” in Free Inquiry, vol. 26, No. 5, pp 4-8.
Kurzweil, Ray, (2005) “The Singularity Is Near,” Viking Press.
Lamont, Corliss (1982), "Central Propositions of Humanism" from "Philosophy of Humanism,” Ungar, 6th edition and see also Humanist Manifestos I and II, in the Appendix.
Livingston, Ken (2006) “God, Aristotle and the New Science of Happiness,” in Free Enquiry 26, 32-38
Marx, Karl, (1867) “Das Kapital”. Abridged edition, Oxford University Press, (1995)
Maslow, Abraham H., (1971) “The Farther Reaches of Human Nature,” Viking.
Plato, (2004) “The Republic,” Barnes and Noble Classics.
Popper, Sir Karl, (1963), "Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge,” Harper & Row.
Rachels, James, and Stuart Rachels (2007) “The Elements of Moral Philosophy,” 5th Ed., McGraw-Hill.
Rapoport, Anatol (1986) “General System Theory: Essential Concepts & Applications,” Abacus Press.
Rawls, John, (1972) “A Theory of Justice” Oxford University Press. Revised Ed., 2003, Belknap Press of Harvard U.P.
Said, Edward, (2004), “Humanism and Democratic Criticism,” Columbia University Press.
Shermer, Michael, (2004), “The Science of Good and Evil,” Henry Holt & Co.
Sidgwick, Henry (1902) “Outlines of the History of Ethics” reprinted in 1988 Hackett Publishing.
Sidgwick, Henry, (1874) “The Methods of Ethics,” 7th edition 1907, republished by Hackett Publishing Co., 1981
Simpson, Lyle L., (2003) “A Humanist Perspective: Maslow’s Purpose for Your Life” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 11, Marian Hillar Editor.
Simpson, Lyle L., (2005) “What is the Purpose for Your Life: A Sequel to A Humanist Perspective: Maslow’s Purpose for Your Life” in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism vol. 13, Marian Hillar Editor.
Singer, Peter, (1981) “The Expanding Circle: Ethics and Sociobiology,” Clarendon Press
Stearns, Peter N., (1990) “Be a Man! Males in Modern Society,” Holmes and Meier.
Storer, Morris B., Ed., (1980) “Humanist Ethics,” Prometheus Press.
Williams, Bernard, (1995), “The point of view of the universe: Sidgwick and the ambitions of ethics” in “Making Sense of Humanity” Cambridge University Press.
Williams, Bernard, (1996), “Contemporary Philosophy: A Second Look” in “The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy,” Nicholas Bunnin and E.P. Tsui-James, Eds., Blackwell.
Wright, Robert (1994), “The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life” Vintage Books.
Published
2013-10-09
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Finch, R. D. (2013). HUMANIST ETHOLOGY. Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, 17(2), 43-66. https://doi.org/10.1558/eph.v17i2.43
