"Why I am a humanist"

Date:
1966
Reference:
PP/CRI/H/4/4
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: "Why I am a humanist". Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    religion of the world have come to seem lik© tales told to children. livrea understood symbol/ically they are often pc-rverse, if not rather unpleasant^ (the story of Ada® and Eve for example)» k. Thus modern seienoe has given Jfoanists wide areas of fundamental knowledge on which to base their faith. But nevertheless there is me«e more that we need to kn«w. The creation of the universe is obscure. Sven if there is life on other words, as likely, it will be extremely difficult for us to communicate with it. (I shall discuss this at a î only month). The origin of life is understood in a±± the most -fragmentary way. But meeting,1;ter this A worst of all, the knowledge we should most like to have - of how our brains work - is still in a most primitive state. The molecular basis of memory, for example, has yet to be discovered. The general principle^ on which the immensely complicated network of nerves in our brains is organised are mostly CrudbiXf unknown, and we are only just beginning to make machines which very xxfeqj: /tásásly simulate certain limited aspects of human behaviour. Could a machine be a Christian? we suspect that it could, but how much better to be able to
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