Concepts
Three ideas provide the foundation for the 'Society of Humankind' with its
proposals for the future peace, harmony and immortality of the human species.
They are:
a chance origin for our species; an unknowable limit on human potential; the autonomy of humanity, that is, that the human species is free to choose its own destiny.
Axioms: We are Alone
The three Axioms of the Society are:
(i)
"Humankind owes its origins to chance"
By the measurement of our species the universe is infinite and eternal. In so
vast an environment any conceivable event is possible. Given those limitless
possibilities the combination of circumstances that result in human life must
occur somewhere and sometime. The Society of HumanKind adopts that
explanation for the existence of human life on our planet.
(ii)
"Human potential is not fixed or predictable"
The Society accepts two important consequences of its view of the origins of
our species;
that there can be no ultimately certain base for human knowledge, that there is no original model or perfect example of humanity to which individuals can be compared, or against which they may be measured.
A chance explanation of our origins as a species must also apply to the range
and scope of our attributes and characteristics. They are equally subject to
chance. Accordingly, acceptance of the Axioms has the consequence that we can
no longer be certain that we possess all the attributes and characteristics
required fully to comprehend either ourselves or the environment we inhabit.
However, that degree of uncertainty must also apply to our capacity fully or
finally to anticipate either the future form of our society or the extent of
our future knowledge.
If chance accounts for the origins of our abilities and characteristics then it
must apply to their later development. Thus the lack of an original model or
perfect example of humanity means that the future qualities, abilities and
possibilities of any and every member of the human species are not fixed or in
any way pre-determined.
(iii) "Humanity is autonomous"
Put together, those two consequences of a chance origin for our species leave
us unable to define the limit of the potential of our abilities, knowledge and
skills, or
to recognise that limit when, or if, it is reached. We can therefore only
regard our capacity for progress and development as limitless. Such infinite
potential must encompass every humanly conceivable possibility, including the
discovery of a means to liberate ourselves from the oblivion of death and the
consequent ability to use that freedom to grant immortality
to every past, present and future member of the human species.
Dogma: We can Save Ourselves
A choice of that possibility as the objective of human existence is expressed
in the
Dogma
of the Society of HumanKind. The Dogma asserts that only two
conditions are required for the achievement of our liberation from death and
the salvation of every member of humanity. They are:
the infinite survival of the human species; and social conditions that permit continuous growth in human abilities, skills and knowledge.
The Society of HumanKind exists to create and maintain those conditions in
pursuit of its
Aim
.
Faith
The founding beliefs of the Society of HumanKind are:
(a) the Axioms;and,(b) that the Objective of the Dogma and its Aim can both be achieved.
The beliefs of the Society of HumanKind are subject to the uncertainty of all
human knowledge described earlier. They are therefore arguable but not
provable, and no
demonstration of their truth or validity can, or will, be attempted.
Acceptance of them is a matter of faith, much as with the foundation ideas of
earlier religions and similar movements. The fundamental difference between
the Society of HumanKind and all its predecessors is not in the amount or
degree of faith required for adherence. It lies in the extent to which
humanity depends on itself for;
salvation, and moral guidance
rather than on external powers and entities. The greatest benefit of the
emergence of the Society of HumanKind is to put humanity in full control of its
survival and its destiny for the first time in its history.
The Society is the agency of the salvation of all humankind through the
achievement of the objective of the Dogma and the consequent realisation of its
Aim. It will do so by using the opportunity provided by its new-won freedom
from death to develop an ability to retrieve the essence of each individual,
their identity, from death. The effect will be to reunite all members
of our species in a new immortal era. The Society does not presently propose, nor does it envisage, any other use of that ability in view of the risk of unforeseeable
consequences for the settled sequence of human history.
The liberation of every individual from the oblivion of death, and their
salvation by the Society, will expose all human actions to retrospective
judgement by the whole of humankind. At our reunification following the
achievement of the Aim of the Society, every individual will be judged on their
conduct during their lives by the whole of humanity, including and especially
by those whom they may have harmed or disadvantaged by their actions and decisions
in life. With the benefit of the combined evidence and unprecedented abilities
and facilities of a reunited and immortal humanity it will be possible for
every member of humankind to know everything about anyone.
The moral consequences for humankind are all-encompassing. No decision and
action, no matter how secret or concealed, can be hidden from the combined
future
scrutiny of the whole of humankind. Following their liberation from death
and consequent reunion with the whole of humankind everyone will live in
perpetuity with the judgement of the whole of humankind on all their decisions
and actions. That is the sanction by which the Society will encourage
individuals both to pursue its Aim and to follow a moral life during the mortal
part of their existence.
The Society will extend its promise of a reunified existence after death to the
whole
human species, whether they are followers or adherents of the Society during
life or not. It will do so in order to ensure that no wrong remains
unredressed, and no virtue unrewarded, in our immortal era.
Joining the Society
Membership of the Society is the means by which individuals directly contribute
to the achievement of its Aim, and with it to the salvation of themselves and
the whole of the rest of humanity, past, present and to come. In addition,
by joining and participating in the work of the Society members contribute to
the creation of peaceful and secure communities that live in harmony with all
their neighbours and the environment on which all and any hopes for the future
of humankind depend.
An essential preliminary to an application to join the Society is a good grasp
of the contents of its two founding books, 'Foundations of the Society of
HumanKind' and 'Essays on the Society of HumanKind'. Both are published in
full on this website and are available through the links on the Society
homepage.
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