Challenges to Humanist Optimism

Robert Browning, 1812-1889, Wrote a poem, “God’s in his heaven, all is right with the world.” It may have been true before advances in science like the theory of evolution, Biblical criticism, the tragedies of the atomic bomb and the cruelties of the second world war. But now the world view of many of us is more bleak, confusing, complicated, and indeed overwhelming. Some people long for the simple “good old days” of right and wrong, truth and falsehood. But the concept of “false facts” and political extremes and polarization are examples of the ways things have changed. Idealism and hope for the future are on short supply. Conspiracies, fear, anger, and distrust are on the rise. Are these developments the consequence of a declining confidence in humanist ideals, such as rationality, science, and progressive hopes of making the world a better place. We will discuss concepts of post-modernist thinking and how these relate to the current crisis of confidence that American society is currently experiencing.