Harry Stopes-Roe received BSc and MSc in physics from Imperial College, London University; and PhD in Philosophy from Cambridge University. Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer, Science Studies at Birmingham University; now retired. His work led him to reject the idea of "God"; and to seek an alternative base for morality - i.e. Humanism. Much concerned with both the theoretical foundations and the practical development of Humanism. Chair, later Vice President, British Humanist Association. Active in IHEU for many years. Chaired the working group that developed the IHEU "Minimum Statement".

Presentation: Secure Foundations for Morality

I examine some inadequate ideas on the foundations of morality. I show that Moore's "Naturalistic Fallacy" assumes two suppressed premises which are false. I develop a moral theory with value-premise "Both happiness and suffering are morally important." (Neither is always morally good. nor morally bad.) This is complemented by the factual observation that naturalistic evolution has given human beings certain basic attributes which enable them to develop a moral sensibility. (These basic attributes gave human ancestors selective advantage; moral sensibility would not have done so.) Hence the two Fundamental Principles of Morality: 1) If enhancing the moral sensibility of an individual does not involve denying him happiness disproportionate to the inadequacy of his moral sensibility, then it is pro tanto good; 2) If an individual's having a certain happiness is not implicated in undermining the moral sensibility of any individual (the given individual or any other), then the happiness is in itself good.