VEDIC PERIOD: 1400-1000 B.C.
Vedic heretics - Swabhavavadin - Naturalist Philosophers disputed the reality
of God.
UPANISHADIC PERIOD: 800 - 600 B.C.
All beings take their rise from Ether only and return into Ether. World evolved
out of primeval material.
KANAD: the atoms are the cause of the world. The atoms of the same class and
similar quality combine to produce the several gross elements.
KAPILA: Nature is the final cause since mind and self consciousness are placed
within the scheme of nature they are included in the materialistic system.
BRIHASPATI: CHARVAK LOKAYAT DARSHAN. Only perceptual evidence is authority.
There is no other world. Death is the end of all.
BUDDHA B.C. 600. No God. No castes. First to evolve Global Ethics. Guiding
Principal: To work for betterment of life in this world.
19TH CENTURY
JYOTIBA PHULE. Revolt against Scriptures. Took education to women and
untouchables. First to fight for human rights.
LOKHITAWADI GOPAL HARI DESHMUKH. Do not listen to anyone even if he is Brahma
himself. Your own intelligent judgement should be supreme.
AGARKAR. Advocated Atheism publicly. Founder of Modern Rationalism in India.
20TH CENTURY
RAGHUNATH DHONDO KARVE. Produced Rationalist literature; advocated
contraception and sex education for better life.
GORA. Founder of Atheist Centre. Advocated casteless, religionless society.
Took Rationalism to people.
M. N. Roy. Founder of Modern Scientific Humanism. A real citizen of the world.
Founder Member of I.H.E.U.
RAMSWAMY NAIKAR. Advocated godless and Casteless society. Took Rationalism to
the common people.
The Indian Radical Humanist Association. (I.R.H.A.)
The basic values of Radical Humanism are: freedom, rationalism and
self-sustained morality. These values constitute the pillars of progress and
are derived from the physical and biological sciences. Freedom includes
physical well being as well as an unhindered development of mental potential in
various spheres like knowledge, virtue, etc. of every human being.
In social life, Radical Humanism recognises the dignity of every individual and
insists on equality in all spheres of life. The I.R.H.A. has 14 state units
throughout the country, with a total membership of over 5,000 individuals, most
of whom are actively involved in the humanist movement.
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