8. NATURAL, RATIONAL WAY

Version 1.6 December 2016                                         (Previous Version)

 

This Part 8 simply brings Parts 1 to 7 together. 

The conclusions of these global beliefs are all justifiable, being based as far as possible on reason and evidence, with a minimal amount of faith, and even our small leaps of faith are justified.

●  Our conclusions from our theoretical analysis in Part 1(Philosophy), and our practical analyses in Parts 2 and 3 (Science and History), provide an understanding of the nature of reality, and are the basis of the choices we make which reflect our core, derived, effecting and ancillary values. 

●  Our conclusions from Parts 4 and 5 (Religion and Culture) help us to understand how we can gain insight into these understandings and values, and their many different forms of expression.

●  Our conclusions from Parts 6 and 7 (Personal Practice and Politics) integrate our understanding of reality and our values choices with our insights into expressing these, into a set of high level, guidelines for action, i.e. guidelines for our behaviour in the real world. 

●  Part 8, with our final conclusion, provides a reasonable evidence based way of looking at the other conclusions and our values.  This is our vision of a Reasonable Global Way.

In this Part we discuss the main components of this global vision:

●  the process of coming to our key conclusions and core choices, especially our commitments to reason and the evidence, and keeping an open mind (valuing truth, reality and diversity);

●  our reverence for the mystery of existence, and the wonder of nature (valuing beauty);

●  the basis of our morality and meaning (valuing life, love, responsibility and equality);

●  the basis of continuing life’s struggle, and planning for the future (valuing hope);

●  the links between this way and traditional religion and religious expression, and the roles we can play in our universal narrative, in our quest for meaning and purpose.

We explore these under the following headings, to clarify the impact of this Way on our behaviour:

0. Final Conclusions	What is a Reasonable Global Way?	Is it reasonable to break down the discussion of this vision of a reasonable global way into these twelve topics, to summarise the vision, describe its implications and guard against misinterpretations? Click on feedback, or add a comment below, to tell us if you agree or disagree, or suggest improvements.
1. Structure, Substance & Style:	Can our structured conclusions be improved?
2. Alternate Conclusions	How do we deal with alternative conclusions?
3. Converging Views:	Might our conclusions reflect a global trend?
4. Natural, Rational Hope:	Is it reasonable to hope for the future?
5. Service to Others:	Is service to others a waste of time?
6. Personal Impacts:	How does this Way help to address the personal crises raised in the introduction?
7. Political Implications:	How does this Way help to address the global and national political crises we have raised?
8. Religious Definitions:	Should we call this Way our religion?
9. Natural and Sacred:	Is anything sacred in a secular world?
10. Natural Rituals	Do any rituals remain or become valid?
11. Natural Ceremony	How can we share this Way in public?
12. Promoting this Way:	Does this Way impact on what we do now?