The following is an engagement with my mentor and friend, Dr Charles Ringma, on the basis of his excellent article, “Towards a True Humanism: some small theological steps“. This is Dr Buch’s A.I. engagement, which oddly is the human sets of thoughts and human control in the action, even as techné shapes thinking and our humanity. The technology is the extension of the human, and currently A.I. needs prompts of human thinking.
Prompt: Respond to the source “(Charles Ringma)Free Thought and True Humanism”, applying the insights of Bernard Williams, Bernard Stiegler, and Jürgen Habermas of the other sources, and making a point on free thought.
Responding to (Charles Ringma)Free Thought and True Humanism (1) through the insights of Bernard Williams, Jürgen Habermas, and the concept of spiral historiography that encompasses aspects of Bernard Stiegler’s thinking, allows for a deeper understanding of the challenges and potential of humanism in our times, particularly concerning free thought.
Ringma begins by noting the conflicted and troubled nature of our current era, marked by anxieties about the planet and deep ideological, religious, and political divisions, extending to micro-level dysfunctional situations (1). Bernard Williams’ emphasis on the need for truth and truthfulness, informed by a deep understanding of our social and historical bearings, directly resonates with this context (2). Williams believed that fostering self-understanding through such truthfulness is crucial for ethical experience and for individuals to make sense of their own lives (2). In a world marked by divisions and anxieties, a commitment to truthfully examining our historical and social circumstances, as advocated by Williams (2), becomes a foundational step for any meaningful humanistic response. This resonates with the call in another source for historical awareness and intellectual humility to break cycles of harmful thinking (4).
Jürgen Habermas’s distinction between the development of productive forces and rationalization at the level of the institutional framework offers another crucial lens (5). Habermas argued that true liberation through technological progress is contingent upon rationalization occurring through the removal of restrictions on communication and symbolic interaction (5). The “technicization” of communication, which Habermas sought to overcome (5), can be seen as contributing to the very divisions and anxieties Ringma identifies. Habermas’s focus on rational-critical communication (7) suggests that a robust humanism must prioritize open, reasoned dialogue free from domination, enabling a collective navigation of the challenges Ringma outlines. This aligns with the emphasis in another source on revealing the possibility of reason and rational-critical communication in modern institutions (7).
Drawing on the concept of spiral historiography, which incorporates the idea of reading ancient texts with modern inclusivity and a non-linear understanding of history (9), we can appreciate how the insights of past thinkers, critically re-evaluated in our present context, can inform a contemporary humanism. Bernard Williams’ engagement with the history of philosophy (3) exemplifies this, as he sought relevance and limitations of historical concepts for present issues (3). Jürgen Habermas’s project of building upon past theories with new perspectives (8) also fits this model.
Considering free thought in this framework, it becomes evident that it is not merely an absence of constraints but an active and ongoing process of critical inquiry informed by truthfulness (Williams), enabled by open and rational communication (Habermas), and enriched by a deep and nuanced understanding of the history of ideas (spiral historiography). The historical context of free thought movements, as mentioned in the Buch’s sources (11), reveals its complexities and its potential to both challenge and be challenged by existing systems of thought. A contemporary understanding of free thought, informed by these perspectives, would emphasize the importance of:
Critically examining information and beliefs in light of the best available evidence and historical context, aligning with Williams’ emphasis on truth and truthfulness (2).
Participating in open and respectful dialogue, fostering rational-critical communication as advocated by Habermas (7), to challenge assumptions and refine understanding.
Engaging with the history of human thought, as suggested by spiral historiography and exemplified by Williams’ approach (3), to learn from past intellectual struggles and avoid repeating errors.
In essence, responding to the anxieties of our conflicted times, as highlighted by Ringma (1) , requires a dynamic and critically engaged humanism that values truth, fosters open communication, and learns from the rich and complex history of human thought, with free thought serving as a crucial engine for this ongoing process.
ENDNOTES
These citations correspond to the following sources(1-11)
(1) Refers to “(Charles Ringma)Free Thought and True Humanism”.
(2) Refers to Excerpts from “(Bernard Williams)Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy.pdf” and “(Bernard Williams)Making Sense of Humanity .pdf” (inferred from the discussion of his ideas).
(3) Refers to Excerpts from “(Bernard Williams)Philosophy as a Humanistic Discipline.pdf” and “(Bernard Williams)Moral Luck Philosophical Papers 1973-1980.pdf” (inferred from the discussion of his ideas).
(4) Refers to Excerpts from “(Neville Buch & Neil Peach)Comparison of Two Papers.pdf”.
(5) Refer to (Jurgen Habermas)Communication-and-the-Evolution-of-Society.pdf (inferred from the discussion of his ideas related to rationalization and communication).
(6) Refer to (Jurgen Habermas)Communication-and-the-Evolution-of-Society.pdf (inferred from the discussion of his ideas related to rational-critical communication).
(7) Refers to (Jurgen Habermas)Communication-and-the-Evolution-of-Society.pdf (inferred from the discussion of his ideas).
(9) Refer to various sources by Neville Buch (inferred from the context of discussing the history of free thought movements, which aligns with the likely content of Buch’s work as seen in other sources).
(3) Refer to Excerpts from “(Bernard Williams)Philosophy as a Humanistic Discipline.pdf”, “(Bernard Williams)Moral Luck Philosophical Papers 1973-1980.pdf”, and potentially other works by Williams discussing the history of philosophy (inferred from the discussion of spiral historiography which includes Williams’s approach, and note that “3 ” is not explicitly defined at the beginning of the source but is used in the context of Williams).
It’s important to note that while most citations are explicitly linked to numbered sources at the beginning of “Humanism, Free Thought, and Our Conflicted Times”, some citations referencing Williams and Habermas are inferred based on the context of the discussion and the broader set of sources we have. The citation “3 ” remains less clearly defined based solely on the provided source text.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bod, R., Kursell, J., Maat, J., & van de Weijer, J. (n.d.). A new field history of humanities.
Buch, N. (2024). Artificial Intelligence and the quest for wisdom. Dr Neville Buch Blog.
Buch, N. (2024, February 23). Three umbrella systems of thought. The conservative-liberal-radical-counter happening. Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642.
Buch, N. (2024, December 23). When humanists know nothing of humanism. Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642, Sunnybank Hills, QLD.
Buch, N. (2025, February 15). The third pathway. Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642, Brisbane, Queensland.
Buch, N. (2025). Comparison of two papers. Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642, Brisbane, Queensland.
Buch, N. (2025). Historical bibliography. Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642, Brisbane, Queensland.
Buch, N. (2025). History of cognition. Discussion sheet. The Philosophy Café Brisbane Meetup, Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642, Brisbane, Queensland.
Buch, N. (2025, March 3). Introduction to digital humanism and humanities. Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642, Sunnybank Hills, QLD.
Buch, N. (n.d.). Buckley’s up with liberalism mind-twister. Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642, Brisbane, Queensland.
Buch, N. (n.d.). Reclaiming nothing without the deep history. Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642, Brisbane, Queensland.
Eaglestone, R. (n.d.). Humanist reason, by Eric Hayot. THE (Times Higher Education).
Habermas, J. (1979). Communication and the evolution of society. Beacon Press.
Peach, N. (2025, March 16). Neil Peach’s analysis on political epistemology.
Peach, N. (2025, March 16). Neil Peach’s thoughts on citatinality.
Stiegler, B. (1998). Technics and time, 1: The fault of Epimetheus. Stanford University Press.
Williams, B. (1981). Moral luck: Philosophical papers 1973-1980. Cambridge University Press.
Williams, B. (1995). Making sense of humanity and other philosophical papers 1982-1993. Cambridge University Press.
Williams, B. (2006). The sense of the past: Essays in the history of philosophy. Princeton University Press.
Williams, B. A. O. (2008). Philosophy as a humanistic discipline. Princeton University Press.
Williams, B. (n.d.). Ethics and the limits of philosophy. Harvard University Press.
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