The main aim of this symposium is to prepare for a new field of science, to be called Generalized Science of Humanity.

        In order to achieve this goal it is important to realize the imbalance that has so far existed between the natural sciences and the humanities and the general lack of mutual collaboration.

        This combined information must then be evaluated from a human point of view -- that is by seeing humans, on the one hand, as part of the world of living beings, in fact as animals, and on the other hand, as descendants of particular traditions and civilizations.

        It further means that we must know what has occurred in the development of human language and thought, in mythology, religion and philosophy, as well as in history in general, especially that of the 20th century (such as the two World Wars, the extermination of the Jews, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or the great famine in China in the Fifties and Sixties, and the more recent East African famine and slaughter).

        Only when we know and evaluate all of this :
We can create a vision for the future.

        As far as the sciences are concerned, we need to be aware of the actual state of the art in such fields as brain science, genetics, nanotechnology, information technology, etc. We also need to be aware of financial engineering, and must take into account the increasing disproportion of wealth, encouraged by the current international financial system.
In sum, we have to evaluate all the above points from the point of view of all humans as well as that of personal happiness.

        So far this task has been carried out in the extant classical texts and by traditions such as those of Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, or Philosophy. However, if we wish to find a common set of values for all humans, this must be done with the assistance provided by the Generalized Science of Humanity, for which aim this first symposium has been organized.