The Circle of Reason (society)

{{Short description|International society which espouses pluralistic rationalism}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Circle of Reason, The}} {{Infobox organization |name = The Circle of Reason |image = Circleofreason_Logo_2013.png |image_border = |image_alt =  |caption = |abbreviation = TCOR |formation = 2000 |founding_location = [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]], U.S. |type = [[Nonprofit organization]] |status =  |purpose = Promote pluralistic rationalism; discourage ''ad hominem'' invective |headquarters = |location = |coordinates =  |region_served = International |num_members = |language =  |leader_title = Exec. Director |leader_name = Frank Burton |main_organ =  |parent_organization =  |affiliations =  |num_staff = |num_volunteers = |budget = |website = [http://www.circleofreason.org circleofreason.org] |remarks = }}

'''The Circle of Reason''' ('''TCOR''') is a [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul|Twin Cities]], [[Minnesota]]-based international society of [[Theism|theists]], [[Atheism|atheists]], [[Conservatism|conservatives]], and [[Liberalism|liberals]] who espouse the [[social philosophy]] of '''pluralistic rationalism''' (also '''plurationalism''' or '''methodological rationalism''').<ref name="pluralism1" /><ref name="pluralism2" /><ref name="pluralism3" /><ref name="pluralism4" /><ref name="circleofreason">[http://www.circleofreason.org The Circle of Reason]. Retrieved November 02, 2012.</ref><ref name="Cirkel van Rede">[https://web.archive.org/web/20120908030018/http://sumatra.home.xs4all.nl/main2.html "Cirkel van Rede," Dutch Circle of Reason Website]. Retrieved January 25, 2013.</ref><ref name="Winnipeg COR">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401151205/http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/faith/gods-a-hot-topic-372644681.html "God's a hot topic," ''Winnipeg Free Press'', March 19, 2016]. Retrieved April 01, 2016.</ref>

==Overview== Pluralistic rationalism is described in cultural media as "commitment to reason[ing], regardless of one's worldview,"<ref name="ST_OITNB">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202184143/http://primary.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/06/16/orange_is_the_new_black_is_the_new_star_trek_and_not_just_because_of_kate.html "Orange Is the New Black Is the New Star Trek," Katy Waldman, ''Slate'', June 16, 2015]. Retrieved July 07, 2015.</ref> and by the society itself as "communal commitment to more consistently practice the basic methodological tenets of a reasoning lifestyle (reality's acceptance, assumption's denial, and emotion's mastery) irrespective of our theological, ethical, cultural or political worldviews."<ref name="circleofreason" /> According to The Circle of Reason, pluralistic rationalism is practiced through encouraging not a particular worldview, but rather factualism, skepticism, and moderationism; and furthermore through discouraging their opposing practices of denialism, dogmatism, and emotionalism – or "denials of reality, unquestioned assumptions (potentially false realities), and emotive arguments or actions (dissociation from reality)." Plurationalist practices include discouraging the verbal, printed or televised use of insults (which the group asserts is immoral because, as ''ad hominem'' argumentation, it seeks to "irrationally persuade by evoking emotionality.") Because plurationalists hold that "as a sapient being one's best tool to survive is one's ability to reason," they also claim people's basic universalized moral imperative must then be to likewise "consistently allow, and encourage, others to reason" as well – which, by rationally underpinning social behaviors otherwise considered subjectively emotional (such as compassion, kindness, and nonaggression), they claim represents "the world's first objective moral code."<ref name="circleofreason" /> <br />

Reflecting the plurationalist society's call to "more consistently use everyday reasoning regardless of our worldviews,"<ref name="circleofreason" /> its institutional practices have included organizing the [[United States|United States']] first reported "theist + atheist" dialogue group, "Secular Bible Study," for reasoning discussion on the historical context, societal impact and cultural relevance of the Bible and religion,<ref name="pluralism1" /><ref name="pluralism2" /><ref name="Strib">[https://web.archive.org/web/20140118163109/http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/39916382.html?refer=y "Secular Bible Study casts wide net," ''Star Tribune'', February 20, 2009]. Retrieved November 02, 2012.</ref> and "Ancient Greek [[Peripatetics|Peripatetic]]"-style nature walks combined with "transcultural, transbelief reasoning dialogue" on current social issues;<ref name="pluralism1" /> organizing and moderating "Assumptions on the [Minnesota Same-Sex] Marriage Amendment: A Reasoning Forum" for theists, atheists, conservatives & liberals;<ref name="ConferenceFlyer">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202184928/http://files.meetup.com/1368609/Marriage_Amendment_Forum.jpg "Assumptions on the Marriage Amendment: A Reasoning Forum," Conference Panelist-Speaker Roster, September 20, 2012.] Retrieved November 02, 2012.</ref><ref name="MinnPost">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202185009/https://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2012/12/talk-tolerance-and-equality-one-group-still-forgotten-atheists "With talk of tolerance and equality, one group is still forgotten: atheists," ''MinnPost'', December 11, 2012]. Retrieved June 03, 2013.</ref> defending a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] legislator shunned by his archdiocese for refusing to defund reproductive health clinics;<ref name="RHrealitycheck">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202185101/http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2009/02/11/abortion-politics-trump-social-justice-catholic-school/ "Abortion Politics Trump Social Justice at Catholic School," ''RH Reality Check'', February 11, 2009]. Retrieved June 03, 2013.</ref> presenting an address on plurationalism, "Be Sane — Be VERY Sane!" to the "Rally to Restore Sanity Minnesota" at the State Capitol;<ref name="RallyMN">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202185246/http://www.examiner.com/article/the-twin-cities-response-to-the-rally-to-restore-sanity "The Twin Cities' response to the Rally to Restore Sanity" (Speaker Roster, & First Minneapolis Circle of Reason Address Title), ''Examiner.com'', October 29, 2010]. Retrieved June 03, 2013.</ref><ref name="non-prophet">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202185413/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nonprophetstatus/2011/11/09/be-sane-be-very-sane/ First Minneapolis Circle of Reason Address (Transcript), "Be Sane — Be VERY Sane!", Rally to Restore Sanity Minnesota, Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda, October 30, 2010]. Retrieved November 02, 2012.</ref> and successfully lobbying the state capital city's Council of Churches to become the first local council of religions in the [[United States]] to change the name of its religious "[[Interfaith dialogue|interfaith]]" dialogue group to "interbelief," to better welcome atheists and secular humanists with no religious faith but with philosophical or ethical beliefs.<ref name="ICC">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202185558/http://publicreligion.org/2014/07/the-morning-buzz-how-religious-affiliation-and-attendance-influence-likelihood-of-divorce/ "The Morning Buzz," ''Public Religion Research Institute'', July 10, 2014]. Retrieved July 10, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mehta |first1=Hemant |authorlink1=Hemant Mehta |title=Minnesota Interfaith Group Changes Its Name to Become More Inclusive of Atheists |url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/07/09/minnesota-interfaith-group-changes-its-name-to-become-more-inclusive-of-atheists/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202185738/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/07/09/minnesota-interfaith-group-changes-its-name-to-become-more-inclusive-of-atheists/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 February 2016 |website=The Friendly Atheist |publisher=Patheos |accessdate=12 August 2019 |ref=ICC2 |date=9 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="ICC3">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202190225/http://www.twincities.com/2014/08/03/st-pauls-atheists-are-coming-out-of-the-closet/ "St. Paul's atheists are coming out of the closet," Bob Shaw, ''St. Paul Pioneer Press'', August 4, 2014]. Retrieved August 5, 2014.</ref><br />

The Pluralism Project at Harvard University has described The Circle of Reason as a "promising practice."<ref name="pluralism1">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202183045/http://www.pluralism.org/interfaith/twin_cities/practices/secular_bible_study "Promising Practice: Finding Common Ground Through Difference," ''Harvard Pluralism Project'']. Retrieved November 02, 2012.</ref><ref name="pluralism2">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202184301/http://pluralism.org/interfaith/twin_cities/media/secular_bible_study "Secular Bible Study / Circle of Reason" (Media & Interview), ''Harvard Pluralism Project'']. Retrieved June 03, 2013.</ref><ref name="pluralism3">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202183525/http://www.pluralism.org/interfaith/twin_cities "America's Interfaith Infrastructure: Twin Cities," ''Harvard Pluralism Project'']. Retrieved June 03, 2013.</ref><ref name="pluralism4">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160202183647/http://www.pluralism.org/landscape/twin-cities "A New Religious Landscape: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN," ''On Common Ground: New Religions in America,'' Harvard Pluralism Project, Editors, 2013]. Retrieved November 06, 2013.</ref>

==See also== *[[Social philosophy]] *[[National Endowment for the Humanities#Civility_Tour|National Endowment for the Humanities' Civility Tour]] *[[Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear|Rally to Restore Sanity]] *[[Rationalism]] *[[Sophism]] *[[Surak]]

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

== External links == * [http://www.circleofreason.org/ The Circle of Reason] * [http://www.monash.vic.gov.au/community/interfaith-gathering.htm Monash Interfaith Gathering] * [http://www.ifyc.org/ Interfaith Youth Core] * [http://www.factcheck.org/ FactCheck.org] * [http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/ YourLogicalFallacyIs.com] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120524055629/http://www.neh.gov/about/chairman/civility NEH Civility Tour] * [http://www.rallytorestoresanity.com/ Rally to Restore Sanity] * [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/30/the-funniest-signs-at-the_n_776490.html#s170117&title=Wheres_the_candy The Funniest Signs From The Rally To Restore Sanity And/Or Fear! (PHOTOS)] * [http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/ The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania] * [http://pluralism.org/ The Pluralism Project at Harvard University]

[[Category:Philosophical schools and traditions]] [[Category:Pluralism (philosophy)]] [[Category:Rationalism]]