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‎Regional Freethought organizations

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‎See also

Beta M: Anarchopedia:Wikipedia datadump

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Anarchopedia:Wikipedia datadump

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'''Freethought''' is a [[philosophy|philosophical]] viewpoint that holds that [[belief]]s should be formed on the basis of [[science]] and [[logic|logical]] principles and not be comprised by [[authority]], [[tradition]], or any other [[dogma]]. The cognitive application of freethought is known as ''freethinking'', and practitioners of freethought are known as ''freethinkers''.

==Overview==
Freethought holds that individuals should neither accept nor reject ideas proposed as truth without recourse to [[knowledge]] and [[reason]]. Thus, freethinkers strive to build their [[belief]]s on the basis of [[fact]]s, [[scientific method|scientific inquiry]], and [[logic|logical]] principles, independent of the factual/logical [[fallacy|fallacies]] and intellectually-limiting effects of [[authority]], [[cognitive bias]], [[conventional wisdom]], [[popular culture]], [[prejudice]], [[sectarianism]], [[tradition]], [[urban legend]] and all other [[dogma|dogmatic]] or otherwise [[fallacy|fallacious]] principles. When applied to [[religion]], the philosophy of freethought holds that, given presently-known facts, established scientific theories, and logical principles, there is insufficient evidence to support the existence of [[supernatural]] phenomena.

A line from "Clifford's Credo" by the 19th Century British mathematician and philosopher [[William Kingdon Clifford]] perhaps best describes the premise of freethought: ''"It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence."'' Since many popular beliefs are based on dogmas, freethinkers' opinions are often at odds with commonly-established views.

==Symbol==
[[Image:5p pwy pansies.jpeg|thumb|200px|The [[pansy]], symbol of freethought.]]
The [[pansy]] has long been the symbol of freethought, originally being used in the literature of the [[American Secular Union]] in the late 1800s. The reasoning behind the pansy being the symbol of freethought lies in both the flower's name and appearance. The pansy derives its name from the French word ''pensÃ©e'', which means "thought"; it was so named because the flower resembles a human face, and in the month of August it nods forward as if deep in thought.<sup>[http://www.ffrf.org/fttoday/1997/june_july97/gaylor.html]</sup>

==History==
===Ancient freethought===

There is a very old [[tradition]] and re-invention of individual [[Freedom of thought|intellectual freedom]] and freethought, in most philosophical and [[Self-realization|religious]] [[Metaphysics|thought systems]], against and despite the [[Fundamentalism|literalist]] interpretations and constraints. That tradition holds that everyone can find one's [[Tao|way]], through personal effort, with help from friends and [[Teacher|mentors]]. From prehistoric [[shamans]] engaging on a personal journey to the superior world, to the Indo-Asian world, to the Mediterranean [[gnostic]] synthesis, to medieval Islam, to bright spots and trails of the Middle Ages, finally to the modern individuation from [[metaphysics]] through the [[scientific method]] of [[experimentation]] and [[Falsifiability|falsification]].

In philosophical [[Buddhism]], freethought was advocated by [[Gautama Buddha|the Buddha]], e.g. in the text ''[[Kalama Sutta]]'':

:''"It is proper for you, Kalamas [the people of the village of Kesaputta], to doubt, to be uncertain;'' ''uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blameable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill, abandon them.

:''"...Do not accept anything by mere tradition... Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures... Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your pre-conceived notions... But when you know for yourselves—these things are moral, these things are blameless, these things are praised by the wise, these things, when performed and undertaken, conduce to well-being and happiness—then do you live acting accordingly."''

===Progression of freethought===

The web of transmissions and reinventions of critical thought meanders from the Hellenistic Mediterranean, through repositories of knowledge and wisdom in [[Ireland]] and the [[Muslim]] civilizations (e.g. [[Omar KhayyÃ¡m|Khayyam]] and his unorthodox [[Sufism|sufi]] [[Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam|Rubaiyat]] poems), in other civilisations as the Chinese (e.g. the sea-faring [[Song Dynasty|Southern SÃ²ng]]'s [http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Song/song.html renaissance]), and through [[Heresy|heretical]] thinkers of esoteric [[alchemy]] or [[astrology]], to the [[Renaissance]] and the [[protestant]] [[Reformation]].

French physician and writer [[FranÃ§ois Rabelais|Rabelais]], celebrated "rabelaisian" freedom and good feasting and drinking (an expression and a symbol of freedom of the mind), in defiance of the [[Hypocrisy|hypocrisies]] of [[conformist]] [[orthodoxy]], in his [[utopian]] [[Thelema]] Abbey (from Î¸ÎÎ»Î·Î¼Î±: free "will"), the devise of which was "Do ''What Thou Wilt''":
:''"So had Gargantua established it. In all their rule and strictest tie of their order there was but this one clause to be observed, Do What Thou Wilt; because free people ... act virtuously and avoid vice. They call this honor."''
When his hero Pantagruel, journeys to the "Oracle of The Div(in)e Bottle", he learns the lesson of life in one simple word: ''"Trinch!"'', Drink!, Enjoy simple life, Learn [[wisdom]] and [[knowledge]], as a free human.
Beyond [[word games]], [[irony]], and [[satire]], Gargantua's prologue [[metaphor]] instructs the reader to "break the bone and suck out the substance-full marrow" (''"la substantifique moÃ«lle"''), the core of wisdom.

===Modern freethought===
The year 1600 seems for some the beginning of the era of Modern freethought marked by the execution in Italy of [[Giordano Bruno]] by the [[Holy Inquisition]].

====Birth in England and France====
The term ''Free-Thinker'' emerged toward the end of the 17th century in [[England]], as opposition to the [[institution]] of the [[church]] and literal belief in the bible. Instead the view emerged that man could understand the world through consideration of nature. These positions were formally documented for the first time in 1697 by [[William Molyneux]] in a widely publicized letter to [[John Locke]] and more extensively in 1713 when [[Anthony Collins]] wrote his ''Discourse of Free-Thinking,'' which gained substantial popularity. In [[France]], the concept first appeared in publication when [[Denis Diderot]], [[Jean le Rond d'Alembert]] and [[Voltaire]] included in an article on ''Libre-Penseur'' in their [[EncyclopÃ©die]] in 1765; the article was strongly [[atheism|atheistic]]. The European freethought concepts spread widely so that even places as remote as the [[Jotunheim]] in [[Norway]] had well-known freethinkers such as [[Jo Gjende]] by the 19th century.

[[The Freethinker (journal)|The Freethinker]] magazine was first published in [[Britain]] in 1881.

====Early German movement====

In [[Germany]] during the period (1815-1848) before the [[Revolutions of 1848 in the German states|March Revolution]], the resistance of citizens against the dogma of the church increased. In 1844 under the influence of [[Johannes Ronge]] and [[Robert Blum]] the belief in the [[Rights of Man|rights of man]], tolerance among men, and [[humanism]] grew and by 1859 they established the ''Bund FreireligiÃ¶ser Gemeinden Deutschlands''. This union still exists today, and is included as a member in the umbrella organization of free humanists. In 1881 in [[Frankfurt am Main]], [[Ludwig BÃ¼chner]] established ''Deutschen Freidenkerbund'' as the first German organization for atheists. In [[Hamburg]] in 1882 the social-democratic ''Freidenker-Gesellschaft'' was formed.

====Belgian movement====

The Free University of Brussels, also known as the [[UniversitÃ© Libre de Bruxelles]] / [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]] (ULB / VUB), along with the two Circles of Free Inquiry (Dutch and French speaking) defend the freedom of critical thought, the rejection of the [[Appeal to authority|argument of authority]], and [[Laity|lay]] philosophy and [[ethics]].

[[UniversitÃ© Libre de Bruxelles|ULB]] physicist and chemist [[Ilya Prigogine]] (1917 - 2003) received the 1977 [[Chemistry]] [[Nobel Prize]] for his work on the [[entropy]] of [[dissipative systems|dissipative]] and self-organizing natural systems, allowing a better [[Laity|lay]] understanding of the [[fundamental]] [[Freedom (philosophy)|freedom]] of [[complex systems|complex]] [[nature]] and [[life]], against [[simplistic]] [[newtonian]] [[determinism]].

====United States movement====

Driven by [[revolutions of 1848 in the German states]], the 19th century saw [[immigration]] of [[German people|German]] freethinkers and atheists to the [[United States]]. They appear to be the first in the United States to refer to themselves as Freethinkers. Many of them settled in [[Texas]], founding the town of [[Comfort, Texas]], as well as others. Their [[town|settlements]] had no [[church]] buildings, and these newcomers were persecuted and sometimes killed for their [[Opposition (politics)|opposition]] to the institution of [[slavery]]. In 1994, a few freethinkers founded the [[Church of Freethought]], which now exists as two active congregations of freethinkers: the [[North Texas Church of Freethought]] and the [[Houston Church of Freethought]].

German Freethinker settlements were located in –
{|width=100%
|-valign=top
|width=50%|
*[[Latium]], [[Washington County, Texas|Washington County]], Texas
*[[Millheim]], [[Austin County]], Texas
*[[Sisterdale]], [[Kendall County, Texas|Kendall County]], Texas
*[[Tusculum]], Kendall County, Texas
*[[Castell]], [[Llano County]], Texas
*[[Comfort]], Kendall County, Texas
|width=50%|
*[[Frelsburg]], [[Colorado County]], Texas
*[[Meyersville]], [[DeWitt County, Texas|DeWitt County]], Texas
*[[Ratcliffe]], DeWitt County, Texas
*[[Shelby]], Austin County, Texas
*[[Belleville]], [[St. Clair County, Illinois|St. Clair County]], Illinois
|}

====English Canada movement====

The earliest known secular organization in English Canada is the Toronto Freethought Association, founded in 1873 by a handful of secularists. Reorganized in 1877 and again in 1881, when it was renamed the Toronto Secular Society, the group formed the nucleus of the Canadian Secular Union, established in 1884 to bring together freethinkers from across the country.

A significant number of the early members appear to have been drawn from the educated labour â€œaristocracy,â€ including Alfred F. Jury, J. Ick Evans and J. I. Livingstone, all of whom were leading labour activists and secularists. The second president of the Toronto association was T. Phillips Thompson, a central figure in the cityâ€™s labour and social reform movements during the 1880s and 1890s and arguably Canadaâ€™s foremost late nineteenth-century labour intellectual. By the early 1880s, freethought organizations were scattered throughout southern Ontario and parts of Quebec, and elicited both urban and rural support.

The principal organ of the freethought movement in Canada was ''Secular Thought'' (Toronto, 1887-1911). Founded and edited by English freethinker, Charles Watts (1835-1906), during its first several years, the editorship was assumed in 1891 by Toronto printer and publisher James Spencer Ellis when Watts returned to England.

Canadian Freethought groups are essentially atheist, base their philosophy on freethought and humanist principles, and are increasingly popular. Examples of such freethought groups are the [http://www.sofree.ca Society of Ontario Freethinkers]] and [http://secularalliance.ca Toronto Secular Alliance]].

==See also==
{|width=100%
|-valign=top
|width=33%|
* [[Golden Age of Freethought]]
* [[Freethought Day]]
* [[Atheism]]
* [[Agnosticism]]
* [[Deism]]
* [[Nontheism]]
* [[Ignosticism]]
* [[Irreligion]]
* [[Natural philosophy]]
* [[Humanism]]
* [[Social Darwinism]]
* [[Herbert Spencer]]
* [[Skepticism]]

|width=33%|
* [[Science]]
* [[Rationalism]]
* [[Empiricism]]
* [[Scientific skepticism]]
* [[Cynicism]]
* [[Secularism]]
* [[Secular humanism]]
* [[Freedom of thought]]
* [[Higher criticism]]
* [[Robert Boyle]]
* [[John Ruskin]]
* [[Age of the earth]]

|width=33%|
* [[The Freethinker (journal)|The Freethinker]]
* [[North Texas Church of Freethought]]
* [[Center for Inquiry - On Campus]]
* [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]]
* [[GAMPAC|The Godless Americans PAC]]
* [[Camp Quest]]
* [[Brethren of the Free Spirit]]
* [[Fellowship of Reason]]
* [[Darwin Day]]
|}

==References==
*Jacoby, Susan (2004). ''Freethinkers: a history of American secularism''. New York: Metropolitan Books. ISBN 0-8050-7442-2
*Royle, Edward (1974). ''Victorian Infidels: the origins of the British Secularist Movement, 1791-1866''. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 0-7190-0557-4 [http://www.secularism.org.uk/uploads/3542a971e965ac1647844952.pdf Online version]
*Royle, Edward (1980). ''Radicals, Secularists and Republicans: popular freethought in Britain, 1866-1915''. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 0-7190-0783-6
*Tribe, David (1967). ''100 Years of Freethought''. London: Elek Books.

==External links==

===Regional Freethought organizations===
*[http://wasm.us/fanny.html Freethinking Activist Nonbelieving New Yorkers] - the Manhattan activist group
*[http://www.fsgp.org/ Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia (FSGP)]
*[http://www.freethoughtassociation.org/ Freethought Association of West Michigan]
*[http://kwcg.humanists.net/CMS/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 Society of Ontario Freethinkers]
*[http://www.hcof.org/ The Houston Church of Freethought]
*[http://www.k-state.edu/freethought/ Individuals For Freethought (IFF)] ([[Manhattan, Kansas|Manhattan]], [[Kansas|KS]])
*[http://www.churchoffreethought.org/ The North Texas Church of Freethought] - has many Freethought articles and sermons
*[http://www.vub.ac.be/vo Studiekring Vrij Onderzoek] - Belgian Organization - has published a book in English, French and Dutch on the [[Bologna process]]
*[http://www.uvv.be/uvv5/top2/fram01e.html Unie Vrijzinnige Verenigingen UVV (''Union of Freethinking Organisations'')] - for the [[Flemish Community]], [[Belgium]]
* [http://www.devrijegedachte.nl/ Vrijdenkersverenging De Vrije Gedachte], [[The Netherlands]]
*{{fr icon}} [http://www.laicite.be Centre dâ€™ Action LaÃ¯que CAL] - for the [[French-speaking Community]], [[Belgium]]
*[http://vapaa-ajattelijat.fi/ The Union of Freethinkers of Finland] (Vapaa-ajattelijain liitto)

===Miscellaneous===
*[http://libertanproject.dotbas.net libertan project atheism, free-thinking, open-source]
*[http://www.booktalk.org BookTalk.org - the freethinker's book community]
*[http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/history.htm A History of Freethought]
*[http://www.13mhz.com] - Freethought Forums... based in Lexington KY
*[http://www.freethinker.co.uk The Freethinker - Secular Humanist Monthly, since 1881]
*[http://www.thefreethinker.tk The Freethinker - Online Magazine for Rational Freethinking Minds]
*[http://www.einsteinandreligion.com/freethink.html Albert Einstein: ''Becoming a Freethinker and a Scientist'']
*[http://www.punkerslut.com/main.html PunkerSlut Freethought]
*[http://www.ffrf.org/ The Freedom from Religion Foundation]
*[http://www.samharris.org/ Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith]
*[http://www.freethoughtfilter.com FreeThoughtFilter] Latest links to news articles of interest to free thinkers.
*[http://www.theinfidels.org/ TheInfidels.org Site and Forum ]
*[http://www.holtzbrinckpublishers.com/henryholt/search/SearchBookDisplay.asp?BookKey=1531709 Freethinkers - A History of American Secularism''], a book on the subject
*[http://www.infidelguy.com/ The Infidel Guy] - a popular radio show broadcast over the Internet.
*[http://www.freethoughtradio.com Freethought Radio], Internet Radio Station for Atheists and Agnostics, Freethinkers, Skeptics, Liberals, Transhumanists, Rationalists, Humanists, Naturalists, and Religious Historians.
*[http://www.secularhumanism.org/fi/ Free Inquiry], a magazine published by the Council for Secular Humanism, which addresses Freethought issues.
*[http://www.rtis.com/touchstone/feb01/13rock.htm Christians refuse to recognize heritage of Freethought in Texas]
*[http://www.fritenkerordboka.org/ fritenkerordboka.org]

{{wikipedia|Freethought}}

[[Category:Freethought| ]]
[[Category:Agnosticism]]
[[Category:Atheism]]
[[Category:Humanism]]
[[Category:Skepticism]]
[[Category:Secularism]]

@@ Line 142: / Line 142: @@
 *[http://www.uvv.be/uvv5/top2/fram01e.html Unie Vrijzinnige Verenigingen UVV (''Union of Freethinking Organisations'')] - for the [[Flemish Community]], [[Belgium]]
 * [http://www.devrijegedachte.nl/ Vrijdenkersverenging De Vrije Gedachte], [[The Netherlands]]
-*{{fr icon}} [http://www.laicite.be Centre dâ€™ Action LaÃ¯que CAL] - for the [[French-speaking Community]], [[Belgium]]
+*[http://www.laicite.be Centre dâ€™ Action LaÃ¯que CAL] - for the [[French-speaking Community]], [[Belgium]]
 *[http://vapaa-ajattelijat.fi/ The Union of Freethinkers of Finland] (Vapaa-ajattelijain liitto)

@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 * [[Golden Age of Freethought]]
 * [[Freethought Day]]
-* [[Atheism]]
+* [[atheism]]
-* [[Agnosticism]]
+* [[agnosticism]]
-* [[Deism]]
+* [[deism]]
-* [[Nontheism]]
+* [[nontheism]]
-* [[Ignosticism]]
+* [[ignosticism]]
-* [[Irreligion]]
+* [[irreligion]]
-* [[Natural philosophy]]
+* [[natural philosophy]]
-* [[Humanism]]
+* [[humanism]]
 * [[Social Darwinism]]
 * [[Herbert Spencer]]
@@ Line 99: / Line 99: @@
 |width=33%|
-* [[Science]]
+* [[science]]
-* [[Rationalism]]
+* [[rationalism]]
-* [[Empiricism]]
+* [[empiricism]]
-* [[Scientific skepticism]]
+* [[scientific skepticism]]
-* [[Cynicism]]
+* [[cynicism]]
-* [[Secularism]]
+* [[secularism]]
-* [[Secular humanism]]
+* [[secular humanism]]
-* [[Freedom of thought]]
+* [[freedom of thought]]
-* [[Higher criticism]]
+* [[higher criticism]]
 * [[Robert Boyle]]
 * [[John Ruskin]]
 |width=33%|
-* [[The Freethinker (journal)|The Freethinker]]
+* [[The Freethinker]]
 * [[North Texas Church of Freethought]]
 * [[Center for Inquiry - On Campus]]

freethought - Revision history

Beta M: /* Regional Freethought organizations */

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Beta M: Anarchopedia:Wikipedia datadump