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Table of Contents
What are the 3 basic beliefs of humanism?
Humanism emphasizes individual freedom, the open society, and secularism.
What are the 4 main beliefs of humanism?
Humanists stand for the building of a more humane, just, compassionate, and democratic society using a pragmatic ethics based on human reason, experience, and reliable knowledge-an ethics that judges the consequences of human actions by the well-being of all life on Earth.
How do you become a humanist?
A humanist believes that through hard work, humans can do good and make life better for others. Love others, and show outgoing concern for humanity. Focus on the present, not the past or the future. Aim to do good and live well now, and leave the world a better place for posterity.
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“I was curious about what humanism is. When I read about it, humanism would best describe me because I don’t walk
What are 5 characteristics of humanism?
- Humanities. education focuses on humanities and science. Return to classical art literature.
- Secular. increased focus on secular ideas.
- Humanism. focuses on the individual.
- Writings. the study of classical manuscripts.
- Less Religious Values. focus on life in this world, not just the after life.
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Who is a famous humanist?
Many scientists were and are humanists. Some, such as Sir Arthur Keith (1866-1955), Scottish scientist and anthropologist J B S Haldane, Sigmund Freud, Sir Julian Huxley and John Maynard Smith did much in the 20th century to spread understanding of science, of human nature and of evolution.
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The twentieth century has seen an aversion to war, partly because of the horrors of World War I and II, and partly because the mainstream media draws our attention to atrocities and suffering around the world. Both world wars and especially the Nazi genocide of the Jews caused many to question their belief in a loving God. We still have wars and threats of war, but the United Nations exists to promote negotiation and conflict resolution by other means, and to oversee international law on warfare and human rights. The 20th century has generally seen a greater awareness and spread of human rights and democracy.
Because of their belief that this world is the only one we have and that human problems can only be solved by humans, humanists have often been very active social reformers. The early Ethical Societies formed neighborhood guilds to do social and educational work in the city slums, where it was badly needed in the days before the welfare state. Most humanists believe in democracy, open government, and human rights, and support action against world poverty and the environment. Some were and are pacifists, and many are active in charities and politics. Ethical societies merged into the Ethical Union, which became the British Humanist Association in the 1960s, with Harold Blackham as its first Director and Julian Huxley as its first President. English social scientist and academic and a founding member of the BHA (now Humanists UK), Baroness Barbara Wootton (1897-1988) became the first woman to chair the House of Lords. She has always championed humanistic causes, particularly in social policy.
religion and philosophy
The twentieth century saw a decline in religious belief and increasing secularization in industrialized countries. Fewer people in Europe are actively religious and people are free to declare their disbelief in gods without fear of reprisals or social disadvantage. Mobile populations and the mass media have brought a range of belief systems to the attention of most parts of the world, and more liberal attitudes mean people often feel free to choose a philosophy for themselves. The growth of studies such as anthropology, which pioneered Sir James Frazer’s vast collection of myths and customs, showed religions as natural human creations and encouraged a more tolerant attitude towards other cultures.
Few Christian intellectuals today defend the literal truth of the Bible, instead focusing on its metaphorical truth and the exemplary life of Jesus. Religious beliefs have tended to evolve, raising doubts among skeptics about exactly what Christians believe today, or what they mean by “truth” or “God.” Theologians such as Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), Deitrich Bonhoeffer (1906-45), William James (1842-1910) and Paul Tillich (1886-1965) and developments such as liberation theology and the ideas of the Sea of Faith have much to offer done to free academic Christian theology from religious dogma and to integrate secular and scholarly ideas into Christianity. Many humanists today see little point in attacking beliefs that are no longer held except by a tiny minority of people.
On the other hand, there are still many popular conventional beliefs and there is a growing trend towards new religions and ideas, many of which are little more than superstition and some dangerous. Religious fundamentalism has increased in some countries. Religion is still accorded special status and privileges in most countries, and non-religious people have often had to organize and campaign for their views to be heard.
Most 20th-century philosophers have assumed that morality is independent of religious belief, e.g. It was still possible to cause a scandal in Britain by suggesting, like Margaret Knight in a late 1950s radio talk, that morality and Religion could be meaningfully separated.
Science
There have been tremendous developments in science and medicine that have impacted people’s lives and the way they think. As more and more people around the world become educated, the understanding of science has become much more widespread, and once controversial ideas such as Darwin’s theories of evolution are becoming widely accepted. Thanks to the relatively new sciences of sociology, anthropology, and psychology, our understanding of human nature and society has advanced rapidly. Many scientists were and are humanists. Some, such as Sir Arthur Keith (1866-1955), Scottish scientist and anthropologist J.B.S. Haldane, Sigmund Freud, Sir Julian Huxley and John Maynard Smith did much in the 20th century to advance the understanding of science, human nature and evolution to spread. Albert Einstein, who worked out the theory of relativity, one of the greatest achievements of the human intellect, was essentially a humanist and an honorary member of the Rationalist Press Association.
Scientific and medical advances have created new ethical dilemmas, and traditional religious teachings have not always been able to meet this challenge.
The arts
Despite ongoing anti-blasphemy laws, artists and intellectuals have increasingly challenged religious privilege and convention. During the first half of this century, the Bloomsbury Group (which included J. M. Keynes, Virginia Woolf (1882-1941), Leonard Woolf, E. M. Forster, Betrand Russell) was an influential group of writers, academics and artists who were greatly influenced by them the ethical theories of G.E. Moore, which emphasized the values of friendship and aesthetic experience. Writers such as Thomas Hardy, George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells and Joseph Conrad were well-known freethinkers, and the novelist Arnold Bennett (1867-1931) was an honorary member of the Rationalist Press Association from 1916.
Modern atheists and humanists
Polls show that at least a third of Britain’s population is agnostic or atheist, and around 36% of the population also share the positive moral values of Humanism and British Humanists. Among them are many well-known figures who support the goals and values of humanism. The work of many of these people underscores the fact that it doesn’t take religion to ponder what is right and what is wrong.
writer
The non-religious tradition of humanism has survived centuries of writers’ work, and the written word is still important in spreading positive views. Humanist writers include novelists Philip Pullman, Ian McEwan, Terry Pratchett, John Fowles, Arthur C. Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Iain Banks, Maureen Duffy, and Stephen Fry, and poets Seamus Heaney, Alan Brownjohn, and Tony Harrison. Author Naomi Mitchison was an influential rationalist, and Isaac Asimov was for many years president of the American Humanist Association. Nobel laureate Octavio Paz was a lifelong humanist. Umberto Eco, Italian writer and semiotician, is a member of the American Academy of Humanism. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, was a humanist, as was writer, actor, and storyteller Peter Ustinov. Novelist Salman Rushdie became an international celebrity when he was the subject of a fatwa for insulting Islam in his 1988 novel Satanic Verses and spent many years in hiding fearing for his life.
Humanist journalists include Jonathan Meades, politician Roy Hattersley, and Sir Ludovic Kennedy (who is also a broadcaster, activist, and past president of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society, now Dignity in Dying). The well-known “agony aunt” Claire Rayner was a writer, broadcaster and humanist. Former Humanist President Polly Toynbee is best known as a columnist for The Guardian.
Fine arts, theater and music
World-renowned sculptor Anish Kapoor is a supporter of humanism, as is art historian and former director of the National Gallery, Sir Michael Levey, who wrote on Renaissance humanism and painting during the Enlightenment. The painter Francis Bacon, widely regarded as one of the world’s most important post-war artists, challenged conventional religious imagery and espoused anti-clerical views.
Sir Michael Tippett, the English composer, was an opponent of organized religion and was a conscientious objector in the 1939-45 war. Well-known theater and opera director Jonathan Miller is a doctor by training and has maintained an interest in medicine and psychology, including directing television programs on the human body and the history of atheism. Playwrights David Hare and Arthur Miller support humanism, as do actors Steven Fry and Jane Asher. Harold Pinter and Vanessa Redgrave worked with Humanists UK in the 1960s in an attempt to reduce religious bias in broadcasting and improve human rights.
politicians and social activists
Politics is an important tool for improving human rights and the quality of life at home and abroad. In India, radicals like Nehru and M N Roy were humanists, supported here by activists like MP and humanist Fenner Brockway. Many of the mid-20th-century founders of international cooperative institutions—such as Brock Chisholm, Peter Ritchie Calder, and John Boyd Orr—were humanists. Well-known humanists of this period included Baroness Blackstone, Nick Brown, Frank Dobson, Michael Foot, Lord Peston, Ken Livingstone and many other MPs and colleagues. The late Earl Russell, Lord Dormand and Lord Jenkins of Putney were all members of the Parliamentary Humanist Group. Today the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group has over 100 members.
In Britain, the humanist Sir Kenneth Clucas chaired the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux for many years, while Sir Lou Sherman chaired the Housing Corporation.
Internationally, humanists continue to advocate for advances in the areas of human rights and foreign aid. Humanist organizations exist worldwide, varying their concerns and activities depending on the situation in their country. In the United States, for example, humanists are at the forefront against the erosion of the constitutional obligation to separate church and state. Humanists like Conor Cruise O’Brien are ambassadors for the UN and international relations. Humanist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Joseph Rotblat was also a major activist for nuclear disarmament and world peace. The Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who led the USSR out of communism, is a humanist.
scientist
Since Aristotle and the ancient scientists of India and China, scientists have been at the center of the quest for knowledge and truth without traditional notions of God.
Authors and broadcasters on science such as David Attenborough, Steven Pinker, Carl Sagan and Richard Dawkins have done much to improve public understanding of science.
Today there are many humanistic biology professors such as Robin Dunbar (evolutionary psychology and behavioral ecology), Richard Dawkins (Darwinian evolution), Sir Alec Jeffreys (genetic fingerprinting), Sir David Smith (symbiosis), Robert Hinde, Lewis Wolpert (embryology), Peter Goodfellow (biotechnology ), Steven Rose (brain function), Steve Jones (genetics), Sir Hans Kornberg (biochemistry) and Sir Thomas Blundell (plant biotechnology); chemistry professors such as Peter Atkins (physical chemistry); Nobel prize-winning scientists such as Sir Harold Kroto and Sir John Sulston; and eminent physicians and medical scientists such as Sir Anthony Epstein (discovering viruses associated with herpes), Sir David Weatherall (blood diseases), Sir James Gowans (immunology and AIDS), Sir Kenneth Stuart (liver and cardiovascular diseases) and Sir Roy Calne (transplant surgery). The late Francis Crick, one of the discoverers of DNA, biologist John Maynard Smith, and Sir Richard Doll, epidemiologist and discoverer of the link between smoking and cancer, were all humanists.
Astronomers, mathematicians and physicists include the late Sir Hermann Bondi (former President of Humanists UK), Sir Michael Atiyah (former President of the Royal Society), Lord Flowers (atomic structure), Sir Roger Penrose (topology and relativity) and Sir Francis Graham-Smith (radio astronomy and former Astronomer Royal).
philosophers
Many philosophers reject traditional conceptions of God. They continue the non-religious tradition in philosophy that has thrived since antiquity and was developed by great thinkers such as David Hume, the Utilitarians, A.J. Ayer and Bertrand Russell (read his Why I Am Not Christian) and Sir Isaiah Berlin, Philosopher and historian of ideas, was a nonbeliever and a member of the American Academy of Humanism. Humanist academics today include Simon Blackburn, Peter Singer (perhaps the most widely read current ethics author), Richard Norman, A.C. Grayling, and Sheila McLean (medical ethics and law).
academics
Historians such as Sir Keith Thomas have researched and written about human beliefs and attitudes. Humanist sociologists, anthropologists and psychologists such as Laurie Taylor, Richard Leakey, Lord Runciman, Professors Robert Hinde and Robin Dunbar have studied human behavior and thinking and contributed to our understanding of human development. Professor Bernard Crick (Politics) has been chosen to lead the government’s work on citizenship education. The economist and Nobel Prize winner Professor Amartya Sen is a humanist.
Read more about current promoters of humanism.
Why do humanists get married?
A humanist wedding is a non-religious ceremony that is deeply personal and conducted by a humanist celebrant. It differs from a civil wedding in that it is entirely hand-crafted and reflective of the humanist beliefs and values of the couple, conducted by a celebrant who shares their beliefs and values.
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A humanistic wedding is a non-religious ceremony that is deeply personal and performed by a humanistic celebrant. It differs from a civil ceremony in that it is entirely handmade, reflecting the couple’s humanistic beliefs and values, performed by a celebrant who shares their beliefs and values.
Weddings performed by a humanist celebrant can be performed in any part of the United Kingdom or the Crown Dependencies, but they are not legally recognized in England, Wales or the Isle of Man. This is discriminatory because religious people have the choice of being married by a civil registrar or by a representative of their religion who shares their outlook on life, but those who want a humanistic marriage must also have a separate civil marriage in order to be civilly married . This creates additional costs and administrative burdens that religious couples do not have to bear, but in addition, couples often complain that what they consider to be their “real” marriage is not one that is legally recognized when they are is legally married.
In England and Wales, the Marriage Act 2013 created a new category of legally recognized marriages in England and Wales – ‘marriages in accordance with the practice of faith-based organisations’. This category was created by the UK Parliament to allow the government to enact legal recognition of humanist marriages through secondary legislation. But in the many years since then, the government still hasn’t enacted it. With over 1,000 couples a year already holding humanistic wedding ceremonies that are not legally recognised, we are calling on the UK Government to act quickly and bring about legal recognition.
In July 2020, in a case brought by six humanist couples, Supreme Court Justice Ms. Justice Eady DBE ruled that failure to allow for legally recognized humanist marriages means that “current law leads to … discrimination”. She also ruled that in light of this, the Secretary of State for Justice “can’t… just sit on his hands” and do nothing. However, she said that with the government currently considering the matter in the form of a Judicial Commission review of marriage law, the government’s refusal to act immediately could be justified “at this point in time” and concluded “although I could do it.” While I would like to deplore the delay that has occurred since 2015, I cannot ignore the fact that a marriage law review is currently underway in this country.” Consequently, she declined to make a formal statement that the government was acting unlawfully at the time. We welcomed the court, which clarified that the failure to legally recognize humanistic marriages cannot be justified other than to say that there is a review to fix the problem, but expressed disappointment that the government was given more time was given to solve the problem, especially considering how long humanistic couples have already had to wait for legal recognition. The plaintiffs in the case are considering whether to appeal this aspect.
Into the deep
We want legislation throughout the UK and Crown Dependencies to allow humanist celebrants to perform legal marriages, as is the case in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. This would give non-religious people the same choice as religious people regarding a meaningful ceremony performed by a person who shares their values and outlook on life. Non-religious people in many other countries, from the Republic of Ireland to Australia and New Zealand to the USA, already enjoy this choice.
Humanistic marriages have long been legal in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland and have had a transformative impact in both countries. They were legally recognized in Scotland in 2005 and have increased from 85 in the first year to 2019, with humanistic marriages outnumbering Christian marriages (23% of the total). The Humanist Society Scotland offers more marriages than any other religion or belief group. Humanist marriages were recognized by law in the Republic of Ireland in 2012. In 2019 around 9% of legally recognized marriages were humanist, putting the Humanist Association of Ireland behind only the Catholic Church and civil marriages.
In Northern Ireland, a 2018 Court of Appeal ruling on a human rights violation led to the country’s first legally recognized humanist marriages in August. This judgment should logically mean that the British government must now act on behalf of England and Wales. Jersey also legally recognized humanist marriages in 2019, and Guernsey followed suit in 2021.
In England and Wales the Law Commission is currently conducting a review of marriage laws. But on humanistic marriages, it says it “will not make recommendations as to whether new groups [i.e. Humanists] should be allowed to have legally binding marriages, which is a government decision.” So the government has yet to form an opinion, although as the Supreme Court has ruled that inaction is discriminatory, that really has to be part of the review should .
This is a major human rights issue affecting thousands of couples and so the government should just go ahead and solve it immediately. Moreover, based on one or two reviews, humanists have been waiting for this change for decades. In 1999-2005 the Labor government carried out a review of marriage venues and during that review humanist marriages were discussed. But nothing came of it. The same is true of the 2014 MoJ and 2015 Legal Commission consultations on humanistic marriages. The review will take at least three years to implement, if ever achieved. Meanwhile, thousands of couples will miss the chance to have the kind of legal marriage they desire.
At the very least, the government should issue an order for legal recognition, even if the legal status it creates is only temporary, pending the implementation of the reforms recommended by the Judiciary Commission Review. Otherwise, thousands of couples will be prevented from having the kind of marriage they desire and should be entitled to under human rights law.
Legal recognition of humanist marriages would be popular, easy to achieve, good for families and the economy, and would end a marked inequality between humanist and religious couples. There is no valid reason to delay such recognition. We therefore urge the UK Government to use its existing powers to legally recognize humanistic marriages as a matter of urgency.
What we do
In recent years we have achieved legal recognition of humanist marriages in Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. We have also led the campaign for recognition elsewhere:
Whether you live in a place where humanistic marriages are legally recognized, our network of over 400 highly qualified and accredited celebrants continue to perform ceremonies.
Support the campaign
Write to your MP and explain that existing marriage laws discriminate against humanists and ask them to raise the matter with ministers. Please copy any replies received to Humanists UK.
You could consider training to become a Humanists UK accredited wedding celebrant. Visit the Humanist Ceremonies website for more details.
You can support Humanists UK by becoming a member. That in itself helps, and you can help even more by supporting our campaigns in the ways suggested above. But campaigns also cost money – quite a lot of money – and we also need financial support. You can donate to Humanists UK.
What is the humanism symbol?
The Happy Human is the international symbol of Humanism. You can download versions of the original symbol at the bottom of this page.It is used around the world in various forms and flavours by national and local humanist organisations and by Humanists International.
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You can download versions of the original icon at the bottom of this page. It is used around the world in various forms and flavors by national and local humanist organizations and by Humanists International.
story of the happy man
The symbol was chosen in 1965 in a competition organized by the British Humanist Association. It was designed by Dennis Barrington.
Humanists UK used the original Happy Human (first known as Happy Man) in its own logo for a number of years and promoted the use of the symbol around the world, either in its original form or bespoke for individual organisations.
Here are just three examples;
How do humanists view death?
Humanists view death as a condition of life. In that all life forms participate in the endless recycling of matter, from non-living into the living and then, on death and decomposition, back into simpler compounds for re-use.
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We are the animal that knows it will die. A prospect we find deeply disturbing. Yet this awareness of our mortality springs from our more evolved, self-reflective consciousness. As a result, we are aware of death, we even fear death and want to ward it off for as long as possible. While other creatures try to avoid death – by flight, hiding, hibernating, forming a sleep phase – few have the conscious ability to fear death, except for some higher animals, which have some awareness of death and signs of grief demonstrate. This is not surprising, because just as we share structural, functional, and behavioral traits with other animals, we would expect our more specialized traits, such as reflective thinking, to be present in rudimentary form, particularly in our closest relatives.
Two common questions about death are, “Does a part of us survive or carry on after death?” and, “Will we be reunited with loved ones who died before us?” Belief in the afterlife is ancient and so ingrained that many don’t even question it. As part of our common cultural heritage, it is often convenient even for humanists to falsify this issue, particularly with children, by expressing the comforting thought that a dead pet, grandparent, or friend has “gone to heaven.”
Humanists understand the desire of part of us to live on in the afterlife as a deep-seated longing. However, there is no evidence of life after death, so non-belief in such a possibility is a key difference between a humanistic and a religious perspective. The humanistic view is supported by modern neuroscientific findings that what we think of as the non-material mind/soul is not separate from the physical body, but rather is a manifestation of brain function. So when our brain dies our spirit/spirit can no longer manifest – like when the energy system goes out there is no light.
While religious people can expect to meet their loved ones in “heaven,” what comfort can humanists have? Our humanistic response is reflected in the increasing popularity of celebrations of life rather than religious funerals. What the majority of mourners in Australia focus on today are memories of times spent with the deceased. Although they are no longer with us, they are part of our history and sometimes the history of our society. The radiant and lavish tributes to Gough Whitlam from people from all walks of life and across the political spectrum are a contemporary example of how the dead ‘live’ in our collective memory.
Because humanists are passionate about human rights and personal autonomy, we have long supported voluntary euthanasia, or the right to die. A practice that was socially accepted alongside suicide in Roman times before the rise of Christianity.
Decades ago, a group of HSV members and other volunteers formed the Voluntary Euthanasia Society of Victoria, now known as Dying With Dignity Victoria (DWDV), to increase lobbying for legislative changes on voluntary euthanasia.
Today the UN Declaration of Human Rights contains the provisions that a person shall not be subjected to inhuman treatment. Denying a person the right to die and to help others when they are in excruciating pain would be a violation of their basic human rights. An important distinction here is that death is a condition and a dead body has minimal rights, while dying is a human experience and a dying person should be able to claim full human rights to experience death in a way that involves experience minimal pain and humiliation.
In order to make your wishes clear in this important matter at the end of life, it is possible to draw up a living will or living will. This can indicate preferred treatment options in circumstances such as stroke, traumatic accident or loss of ability if the person is no longer able to make these requests. (These forms can be downloaded from the DWDV website.)
Australian Humanists have recognized a number of community activists who have championed the right to die by honoring them as Australian Humanists of the Year (AHOYs). These include Anne Levy in 1985 for her pioneering lobbying work in the SA Parliament, Margaret and Tup Baxendell in 1994 activists in Queensland and in 1998 Dr. Philip Nitschke, the activist for voluntary euthanasia.
Similarly, Australian humanists honored Lionel Murphy with the first AHOY Prize in 1983 for the many farsighted legislative measures, including the civil celebrants scheme, which he introduced as Attorney-General in the Whitlam-Labour government. Murphy believed that non-religious people should be able to marry in a comfortable setting, not just the then-existing choice of church or drab registry office. He steered through laws that gave civil revelers the right to consummate marriages.
With the expectation of only one life, humanists hope not only to live a full and good life, but also to die a good death.
Copyright © 2014 Rosslyn Ives
Do humanists celebrate Christmas?
It’s really festive and all about having fun with family. Can a humanist celebrate Christmas and remain true to their beliefs? Absolutely! Christmas was originally a pagan festival and has been co-opted by Christians anyway, and is all about enjoying light and warmth at the time of the winter solstice.
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For most people in the UK, Christmas isn’t about going to church or celebrating Jesus, it’s about spending time with family, giving gifts and enjoying food and drink.
Humanists are sometimes accused of being hypocritical about celebrating Christmas, but this time of year has nothing to do with religion, everything to do with celebrating the life we have with the people we love.
Humanists find meaning, beauty, and joy in the one life we have without having to believe in an afterlife or find meaning through a holy book.
On Christmas Day for those of us who are lucky enough we will put up the Christmas tree, keep the lights twinkling and we will enjoy a celebration with our loved ones.
Here five famous humanists share what Christmas means to them.
Ariane Sherine
What does Christmas mean to you?
My main concern today is my eight-year-old daughter. I throw a children’s Christmas party for her and her friends every year and Santa rings the doorbell and brings them lots of presents. It’s an opportunity to see them smile and enjoy themselves and get together with many other people in the warmth. It is a very happy occasion.
what are you doing on christmas day
This year I’m spending Christmas with my daughter and her adoptive father. We will have a vegetarian dinner and eat lots of chocolate
in front of a great Christmas movie. We have two real Christmas trees and lots of decorations. It’s really festive and it’s all about having fun with the family.
Can a humanist celebrate Christmas and remain true to their faith?
Absolutely! Christmas was originally a pagan festival and was appropriated by Christians anyway, and is all about enjoying the light and warmth at the time of the winter solstice. It totally fits with humanism: When it’s cold and dark outside, it’s natural to want to alleviate it and celebrate being together with the people you love.
Have you been criticized by others for celebrating Christmas as a non-religious person? How do you react?
Not in my everyday life. Most people of my generation aren’t religious anyway, so their Christmas is generally as godless as mine!
Jim Al-Khalili
What does Christmas mean to you? It means making my yearly batch of coffee fudge (now perfected), and it means admiring the Christmas tree that my wife is always responsible for, while reassuring her when the tree lights inevitably don’t work once they’ve been draped around the Christmas tree Baum when she swears they were fine when she tested them earlier. Above all, this means coordinating family reunions with my adult children and their partners, as well as with my siblings and their families. It means buying way too much food, most of which is hugely unhealthy, but sorry because “oh, well, it’s Christmas”. what are you doing on christmas day Even though my kids are now grown and flown from the nest, there’s still something magical about Christmas morning — bacon rolls for breakfast, opening presents, and waiting for people to arrive. Of course, always plenty of mulled wine and mince pies. Can a humanist celebrate Christmas and remain true to their faith? I never really understood this question. I grew up in Iraq to a Christian mother and a Muslim father. We celebrated Eid and Christmas. So for me there were no religious connotations either. For me, Christmas was associated with the turn of the year, the school holidays and presents. Yes, we always had a tree and I even played Christmas carols on the piano, but it was all part of the cultural fun. Have you been criticized by others for celebrating Christmas as a non-religious person? How do you react? No, but that might have something to do with them mistaking me for a Muslim! Or maybe it’s just that I don’t know many people who are stupid enough to think that Christmas was invented to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Paul Sincha
what are you doing on christmas day
Apart from 1976, I’ve spent every Christmas of my life with my mom and dad, and for me, Christmas is that time of year when family is undeniably and unconditionally spending quality time together. I don’t think there’s anything I could do in life that would break my parents’ hearts more than not being there for Christmas.
Christmas Day is spent at my sister’s house as she and her husband doggedly try to juggle chores, cook an exquisite Christmas dinner and entertain a somewhat dysfunctional family unit.
Can a humanist celebrate Christmas and remain true to their faith?
I am a son of atheist Hindus who celebrate every Hindu festival. I consider myself an atheist who enjoys every opportunity for family and friends to appreciate one another’s company. Just because I don’t believe in a biblical God doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the cultural richness that religions have brought. I think people can experience Christmas the way they want and shouldn’t feel pressured by other people’s definitions.
Sally LePage
What does Christmas mean to you?
Christmas is all about family traditions, and now my family is spread across continents, it’s one of the few times of the year that we’re all together. Christmas is good food, cheesy music and thoughtful gifts. It’s something to look forward to during the cold and dark winter months.
Can a humanist celebrate Christmas and remain true to their faith?
Of course! Let’s face it, Christmas is hardly a religious matter in this country anymore and only has to be as religious as you want it to be. My sister and I both went to Christian schools, so we have a homemade nativity scene that has a donkey and ox, a penguin, a blue giraffe, a wobbly moose, a magician with Richard Dawkins’ delusion of God, and a tiny “I ♡ Darwin” -Poster. Most Christians I know don’t really believe that a woman was visited by an angel, became pregnant without sex, was forced to travel to her husband’s birthplace for a Roman census, and gave birth in a stable on December 25th exactly was , and were met by three wise men. If you want to celebrate that in one day, go ahead. But there are many other parts of Christmas that you can celebrate without the “Christ” bit.
Have you been criticized by others for celebrating Christmas as a non-religious person? How do you react?
You’d have to be a real Grinch to deny someone a chance to party in the gloomy midwinter! We all need to take every opportunity to come together and celebrate family and friendship, even more so lately. If someone ever said I shouldn’t celebrate Christmas as a non-religious person, I’d probably hug them and give them a mince pie.
Catie Wilkins
What does Christmas mean to you?
That means I can watch The Muppet Christmas Carol, Elf and Die Hard again. Spending time with friends and family, appreciating each other and our happiness, and remembering to donate or help as much as we can to those in need. Also parties, food, gifts; all the noise is blinding. It’s the best time of the year.
what are you doing on christmas day
If we’re lucky, it’ll start at 6 a.m. (A four-year-old and a two-year-old are involved). The children are allowed to open the presents that Santa Claus left for them. Then cook/eat/play/eat/champagne/chocolate/dog walk. Having lunch. The Queen’s speech (my family will insist). Then everyone can open their tree gifts if they are still awake.
Can a humanist celebrate Christmas and remain true to their faith?
Of course. Christianity does not “own” Christmas. They are the current reigning champions of the festival formerly known as Yuletide/Odin/Mōdraniht/Mithras. And good for her. You’ve put in the work and the rewards are there.
Have you been criticized by others for celebrating Christmas as a non-religious person? How do you react?
I can’t think of anyone. The Christians I know have always been very hospitable. I was at midnight mass with my husband’s family and no one cared which I really think they were just delighted that we came.
Was Leonardo da Vinci a humanist?
Many men, including da Vinci were also considered the humanist type, humanism having emerged as a significant intellectual movement during the Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci was many things. He is known as a painter, inventor, engineer and a scientist.
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“Look at the wondrous works of nature, if you think it a cruel act to destroy them, think that it is an infinitely cruel act to take man’s life.” – Leonardo da Vinci.
Leonardo’s deep commitment to the world inspired his compassion for people, animals and the environment. Renaissance humanism, the guiding principle of Leonardo’s time, valued human dignity and culture while seeking humanity’s natural place in the universe. Because he loved the world as much as he studied it, Leonardo’s work today symbolizes that philosophy.
We think Leonardo da Vinci was a great and prolific inventor, but he was also dedicated to the well-being of people and animals. He drew many creatures with fine detail, kept exotic pets, and was likely a vegetarian. The Italian painter Giorgio Vasari once wrote that if Leonardo passed caged birds, he would pay the asking price so he could free them. When advising urban planners and engineers, Leonardo would suggest that they work with nature, not against it. He strove for a harmony between civilization and its environment, a harmony that is more relevant today than ever.
Leonardo abhorred unnecessary suffering, describing it as “animal madness”. Yet the same man sketched numerous war machines in his notebooks and offered his designs to rulers and governments. Historians believe that many of these were only created to impress patrons; few were ever built. They cite Leonardo’s horrifying depiction of war in reproductions of Leonardo’s lost painting The Bottle of Anghiari as a more truthful representation of his attitude towards war.
Many consider da Vinci to be the quintessential “Renaissance man”—a Renaissance polymath, someone whose intellectual achievements and interests span a wide variety of fields in art, science, and literature. Many men, including da Vinci, were also considered humanistic, as humanism had become a major intellectual movement during the Renaissance.
Leonardo da Vinci was many things. He is known as a painter, inventor, engineer and scientist. Above all, da Vinci was passionate about his fellow human beings and the everyday things that nature offered.
How can you be more like Leonardo da Vinci?
Are humanists and atheists the same?
Important Terms. Atheist: Does not believe in gods or the supernatural. Humanist: Believes that this life is the only life we have and are skeptical of the supernatural or divine. Humanism involves a commitment to moral values and moral autonomy.
Wikipedia
important terms
Atheist: Does not believe in gods or the supernatural.
Humanist: Believes that this life is the only life we have and is skeptical of the supernatural or divine. Humanism involves a commitment to moral values and moral autonomy.
Agnostic: Believes that the existence of god(s) cannot be proved or disproved.
Questions/Searching: May have questions about the existence of god(s) or not believe in the existence of god(s) but have unresolved questions or conflicts.
reflection and practice
Although they do not believe in god(s) or the supernatural, those who identify as atheists or humanists sometimes gather together for fellowship and discussion. In the Interfaith Prayer Room at Kindlon Hall, Room 136, a book of reflections and poems is available for students who do not identify with a religious tradition but would still benefit from a resource and space in which to meditate and reflect .
Opportunities to get involved with BenU
Here are some courses offered at BenU about this faith tradition. Please visit the Course Catalog for more information and click here to learn more about the Interfaith Studies major.
What does it mean to be a humanistic person?
noun. a person having a strong interest in or concern for human welfare, values, and dignity.
Wikipedia
(sometimes initial capital) of or pertaining to the humanities or classical science, particularly that of the Renaissance humanists: humanistic studies; the humanistic ideology of Petrarch.
What are humanist qualities?
Humanism stresses the importance of human values and dignity. It proposes that people can resolve problems through the use of science and reason. Rather than looking to religious traditions, humanism instead focuses on helping people live well, achieve personal growth, and make the world a better place.
Wikipedia
Humanism is a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of human factors rather than dealing with religious, divine, or spiritual matters. Humanism is rooted in the idea that humans have an ethical responsibility to live personally fulfilling lives while contributing to the good of all human beings.
Humanism emphasizes the importance of human values and dignity. It proposes that people can solve problems through the use of science and reason. Instead of looking to religious traditions, humanism instead focuses on helping people live well, achieve personal growth, and make the world a better place.
types of humanism
The term “humanism” is often used in a broader sense, but it also has meaning in a number of different fields, including psychology.
humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a perspective that emphasizes looking at the whole individual and emphasizes concepts such as free will, self-efficacy, and self-actualization. Rather than focusing on dysfunction, humanistic psychology strives to help people fulfill their potential and maximize their well-being.
This field of psychology emerged in the 1950s in response to psychoanalysis and behaviorism, which had dominated psychology for the first half of the century. Psychoanalysis focused on understanding the unconscious motivations that drive behavior, while behaviorism studied the conditioning processes that produce behavior.
Humanist thinkers considered both psychoanalysis and behaviorism to be overly pessimistic, either focusing on the most tragic emotions or ignoring the role of personal choice.
However, it is not necessary to view these three schools of thought as competing elements. Every branch of psychology has contributed to our understanding of the human mind and behavior.
Humanistic psychology added another dimension that looks at the individual more holistically.
religious humanism
Some religious traditions incorporate elements of humanism as part of their belief systems. Examples of religious humanism include Quakers, Lutherans, and Unitarian Universalists.
secular humanism
Secular humanism rejects all religious beliefs, including the existence of the supernatural. This approach emphasizes the importance of logic, scientific method, and rationality in understanding the world and solving human problems.
Used
Humanism focuses on the potential of each individual and emphasizes the importance of growth and self-actualization. The basic tenet of humanistic psychology is that human beings are inherently good and that mental and social problems result from deviations from this natural tendency.
Humanism also suggests that humans have personal agency and are motivated to use that free will to pursue things that help them reach their full potential as human beings.
The need for fulfillment and personal growth is a key motivator of all behavior. People are constantly looking for new ways to grow, get better, learn new things, and experience psychological growth and self-realization.
Some of the uses of humanism in the field of psychology are:
Humanistic Therapy: A number of different types of psychotherapy have emerged that are rooted in the principles of humanism. These include client-centered therapy, existential therapy, and gestalt therapy.
: Various forms of psychotherapy have emerged, rooted in the principles of humanism. These include client-centered therapy, existential therapy, and gestalt therapy. Personal Development: Because humanism emphasizes the importance of self-actualization and realizing one’s full potential, it can be used as a tool for self-discovery and personal development.
: Because humanism emphasizes the importance of self-actualization and realizing one’s full potential, it can be used as a tool of self-discovery and personal development. Social Change: Another important aspect of humanism is the betterment of communities and societies. In order for individuals to be healthy and whole, it is important to develop societies that promote personal well-being and provide social support.
effects of humanism
The humanist movement had a tremendous impact on the course of psychology and contributed to new ways of thinking about mental health. It offered a new approach to understanding human behaviors and motivations and led to the development of new techniques and approaches to psychotherapy.
Some of the key ideas and concepts that have emerged as a result of the humanist movement include an emphasis on things like:
tips
Some tips from humanism that can help people pursue their own fulfillment and realization are:
Discover your own strengths
Develop a vision for what you want to achieve
Consider your own beliefs and values
Have experiences you enjoy and develop your skills
Learn to accept yourself and others
Focus on enjoying experiences rather than just achieving goals
Keep learning new things
Pursue things you care about
Keep an optimistic outlook
One of the greatest strengths of humanistic psychology is that it emphasizes the role of the individual. This school of psychology gives people more credit in controlling and determining their mental health status.
Environmental influences are also taken into account. Rather than focusing solely on our inner thoughts and desires, humanistic psychology also credits the influence of the environment on our experiences.
Humanistic psychology helped remove some of the stigma associated with therapy and made it more acceptable for normal, healthy people to explore their abilities and potential through therapy.
possible dangers
While humanism continues to influence therapy, education, health care, and other fields, it has not been without criticism.
For example, the humanistic approach is often seen as too subjective. The importance of individual experience makes it difficult to study and measure humanistic phenomena objectively. How can we objectively determine if someone is self-realized? The answer, of course, is that we cannot. We can only rely on the individual’s own assessment of the experience.
Another major criticism is that observations are unverifiable; There is no precise way to measure or quantify these qualities. This can make it difficult to conduct research and design assessments to measure hard-to-measure concepts.
history of humanism
The early development of humanistic psychology was heavily influenced by the work of some key theorists, most notably Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. Other prominent humanist thinkers were Rollo May and Erich Fromm.
In 1943, Abraham Maslow described his hierarchy of needs in A Theory of Human Motivation, published in Psychological Review. Later in the late 1950s, Abraham Maslow and other psychologists held meetings to discuss the development of a professional organization dedicated to a more humanistic approach to psychology.
They agreed that issues such as self-actualization, creativity, individuality and related issues are the central themes of this new approach. In 1951 Carl Rogers published Client-Centered Therapy, in which he described his humanistic, client-oriented approach to therapy. In 1961 the Journal of Humanistic Psychology was founded.
Also in 1961, the American Association for Humanistic Psychology was formed, and in 1971 humanistic psychology became a division of the APA. In 1962, Maslow published Toward a Psychology of Being, in which he described humanistic psychology as the “third force” in psychology. The first and second forces were behaviorism and psychoanalysis, respectively.
A word from Verywell
Today, the concepts central to humanistic psychology can be seen in many disciplines, including other branches of psychology, education, therapy, political movements, and others. For example, transpersonal psychology and positive psychology both draw heavily on humanistic influences.
The goals of humanism are as relevant today as they were in the 1940s and 1950s, and humanistic psychology continues to empower individuals, enhance well-being, push people to fulfill their potential, and improve communities around the world.
What is an example of humanism?
The definition of humanism is a belief that human needs and values are more important than religious beliefs, or the needs and desires of humans. An example of humanism is the belief that the person creates their own set of ethics. An example of humanism is planting vegetables in garden beds.
Wikipedia
An example of humanism is the belief that the person creates their own ethics.
Planting vegetables in garden beds is an example of humanism.
What did the humanists believe?
Humanists believe that human experience and rational thinking provide the only source of both knowledge and a moral code to live by. They reject the idea of knowledge ‘revealed’ to human beings by gods, or in special books.
Wikipedia
A positive attitude towards life
Humanism is a way of life based on reason and our common humanity, recognizing that moral values are rightly based on human nature and experience alone. Robert Ashby
While atheism is merely the absence of belief, humanism is a positive attitude toward the world that focuses on human experiences, thoughts, and hopes.
The British Humanist Association and the International Humanist and Ethical Union use similar emblems, depicting a stylized human figure striving to achieve their full potential.
Humanists believe that human experience and rational thought are the only source of both knowledge and a moral code to live by.
They reject the idea of knowledge “revealed” to people by gods or in special books.
Humanism is a democratic and ethical attitude to life that affirms the right and responsibility of human beings to give meaning and form to their own lives. It stands for building a more humane society through ethics based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and the free exploration of human abilities. She is not theistic and does not accept supernatural views of reality. International Humanist and Ethical Union
humanistic ideas
Most humanists would agree with the following ideas:
What are the different types of humanism?
Of these (excepting the historical movement described above) there are three basic types: humanism as Classicism, humanism as referring to the modern concept of the humanities, and humanism as human-centredness.
Wikipedia
The history of the term humanism is complex but revealing. It was first used (as humanism) by 19th-century German scholars to denote the Renaissance emphasis on classical studies in pedagogy. These studies were continued and encouraged by educators known as umanisti—that is, professors or students of classical literature—as early as the late 15th century. The word umanisti derives from the studia humanitatis, a classical course of study consisting of grammar, poetry, rhetoric, history and moral philosophy in the early 15th century. The studia humanitatis were considered the equivalent of the Greek paideia. Their name itself was based on Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero’s concept of humanitas, an educational and political ideal that was the intellectual basis of the entire movement. Renaissance humanism in all its forms was defined by its pursuit of this ideal. No discussion of humanism can therefore be valid without an understanding of humanitas.
Humanitas meant the full development of human virtue in all its forms. The term thus implied not only those qualities associated with the modern word humanity—understanding, benevolence, compassion, mercy—but also such more assertive qualities as fortitude, judgment, prudence, eloquence, and even a love of honor. Consequently, the holder of the Humanitas could not only be a sedentary and isolated philosopher or man of letters, but had to necessarily participate in active life. Just as action without insight was held to be aimless and barbaric, so insight without action was rejected as sterile and imperfect. Humanitas called for a delicate balance between action and contemplation, a balance born not of compromise but of complementarity.
The goal of such a fulfilled and balanced virtue was political in the broadest sense of the word. The realm of Renaissance humanism included not only the education of youth but also the guidance of adults (including rulers) through philosophical poetry and strategic rhetoric. It contained not only realistic social criticism but also utopian hypotheses, not only careful reassessments of history but also bold reconfigurations of the future. In short, humanism called for wholesale cultural reform, the transfiguration of what humanists called the passive and ignorant society of the “dark” ages into a new order that would reflect and foster the greatest human potential. Humanism had an evangelical dimension: it sought to project humanitas from the individual to the state as a whole.
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The source of Humanitas was classical literature. Greek and Roman thought, available in a spate of rediscovered or newly translated manuscripts, provided humanism with much of its basic structure and method. For Renaissance humanists, nothing about the writings of Aristotle, Cicero, or Livy was archaic or antiquated. Compared to the typical productions of medieval Christianity, these pagan works had a fresh, radical, almost avant-garde tonality. In fact, for humanism, restoring the classics was tantamount to restoring reality. Classical philosophy, rhetoric, and history were viewed as models of appropriate methods—efforts to engage with perceived experience in a systematic manner and without prejudice of any kind. Furthermore, classical thought regarded ethics as ethics, politics as politics: it lacked the inhibiting dualism caused in medieval thought by the often conflicting demands of secularism and Christian spirituality. The classical virtue, examples of which abounded in literature, was not an abstract essence but a quality to be tested on the forum or on the battlefield. After all, classical literature was rich in eloquence. Humanists in particular viewed Cicero as the paragon of refined and elaborate discourse, as well as a model of eloquence combined with shrewd statesmanship. In eloquence, humanists found much more than a purely aesthetic quality. As an effective means of moving leaders or fellow citizens along one political course or another, eloquence was akin to raw power. Humanists consequently cultivated rhetoric as the medium through which all other virtues could be communicated and fulfilled.
Aristotle Detail of a Roman copy (2nd century BC) of a Greek alabaster portrait bust of Aristotle, c. 325 BC BC; in the collection of the Roman National Museum. A. Dagli Orti/©De Agostini Editore/age fotostock
Humanism can thus be defined precisely as that Renaissance movement which had the ideal of humanitas at its heart. Notwithstanding the narrower definition of the Italian term umanisti, all Renaissance writers who cultivated humanitas and all their direct “descendants” can correctly be called humanists.
What are examples of humanism?
The definition of humanism is a belief that human needs and values are more important than religious beliefs, or the needs and desires of humans. An example of humanism is the belief that the person creates their own set of ethics. An example of humanism is planting vegetables in garden beds.
Wikipedia
An example of humanism is the belief that the person creates their own ethics.
Planting vegetables in garden beds is an example of humanism.
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Wikipedia
philosophical school of thought
Not to be confused with humanism
Humanism is a philosophical attitude that emphasizes human individual and social potential and agency. It regards man as the starting point for serious moral and philosophical investigations.
The meaning of the term “humanism” has changed according to the successive intellectual movements that have identified with it. In general, the term refers to a focus on human well-being and champions human freedom, autonomy, and progress. It regards humanity as responsible for the advancement and development of individuals, upholds the equal and inherent dignity of all human beings, and emphasizes concern for people in relation to the world.
From the 20th century, humanist movements were typically non-religious and associated with secularism. Most commonly, humanism refers to a non-theistic view that focuses on human agency and a reliance on science and reason, rather than revelations from a supernatural source, to understand the world. Humanists tend to advocate human rights, freedom of speech, progressive politics, and democracy. People with a humanistic worldview do not consider religion to be a prerequisite for morality and are opposed to excessive religious integration with education and the state. According to humanists, people can shape their own values and lead good and meaningful lives.
Etymology and Definition
The word “humanism” derives from the Latin term humanitas, first used by Cicero to describe values related to liberal education that were similar to 21st-century art, philosophy, history, and literature. The word reappeared as umanista during the Italian Renaissance and reached the English language in the 16th century. The word “humanist” has been used to describe a group of students of classical literature and those who advocate for an education based on it. In the early 19th century the term humanism was used with several meanings in Germany and from there re-entered the English language with two different designations; One was an academic term associated with the study of classical literature, while the other, more popular usage, denoted a non-religious attitude to life and implied an antithesis to theism.
It is likely that the Bavarian theologian Friedrich Immanuel Niethammer coined the term humanism to describe the new classical curriculum he wanted to offer in German secondary schools. Soon other scholars such as Georg Voigt and Jacob Burckhardt adopted the term. In the 20th century the word was further refined and given its contemporary meaning of a naturalistic attitude to life focused on human welfare and freedom.
The definition of humanism reveals the controversy surrounding humanism. Humanism is defined as a champion of human freedom and dignity, but it is associated with oppression as it is a by-product of modernity. In 1974, the philosopher Sidney Hook defined humanism and humanists in terms of negative qualities. According to Hook, humanists oppose the imposition of a culture in some civilizations, do not belong to any church or established religion, do not support dictatorships, do not justify violence for social reform, or are more loyal to an organization than their abstract values. Hook also said humanists support the elimination of hunger and improvements in health, housing, and education. Also in 1974, the humanist philosopher H. J. Blackham wrote that humanism is a concept that focuses on improving the social conditions of humanity and increasing the autonomy and dignity of all human beings. In 1999, Jeaneane D. Fowler said that the definition of humanism should include a rejection of divinity and an emphasis on human welfare and liberty. She also comments that there is a lack of a shared belief system or doctrine, but in general humanists strive for happiness and self-realization.
In 2015, prominent humanist Andrew Copson attempted to define humanism as follows:
Humanism is naturalistic in its understanding of the universe; Science and free inquiry will help us to understand more and more about what surrounds us.
This scientific approach does not reduce man to anything less than human.
Humanists value the pursuit of a self-determined, meaningful, and happy life.
Humanism is moral; Morality is man’s way of improving our lives.
Humanists engage in practical action to improve personal and social conditions.
According to the International Humanist and Ethical Union:
Humanism is a democratic and ethical attitude to life that affirms the right and responsibility of human beings to give meaning and form to their own lives. It stands for building a more humane society through ethics based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and the free exploration of human abilities. She is not theistic and does not accept supernatural views of reality.
Dictionaries define humanism as a worldview or way of life. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, humanism is “…a doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values; specifically: a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and emphasizes the dignity and worth of an individual and the capacity for self-realization.”
story
predecessor
Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers were the first western philosophers to attempt to explain the world in terms of human reason and natural law without relying on myth, tradition, or religion. Thales of Miletus led this demythologization in the 6th century BC. along with the rest of the Milesian school. Thales’ disciples, Anaximander and Anaximenes, said that nature can be studied separately from the supernatural realm. Another pre-Socratic philosopher, Protagoras, who lived in Athens c. 440 BC BC some basic humanistic ideas. Only a few fragments of his work survive. He made one of the first agnostic statements; after a fragment: “Of the gods I can know neither that they exist, nor that they do not exist, nor of what kind they are: for many things prevent me from knowing this, their obscurity and the brevity of human life” . (80B4 DK) According to the scholar Mauro Bonazzi, this was an attempt by Protagoras to distance religion from politics and a key concept of his radical humanism. Protagoras also said: “Man is the measure of all things”. The philosopher Friedrich Schiller defended Protagoras against charges of relativism, noting that he used the word “man” to refer to humanity rather than single individuals. Contemporary humanism does not support moral relativism.
Socrates spoke of the need to “know oneself”; His thinking changed the focus of contemporary philosophy from nature to man and his well-being. Socrates, a theist executed for atheism, examined the nature of morality through reasoning. Aristotle (384-322 BC) taught rationalism and a system of ethics based on human nature, which also corresponds to humanistic thinking. In the 3rd century B.C. A.D. Epicurus formed an influential human-centered philosophy focused on achieving eudaimonia. The Epicureans continued Democritus’s atomistic theory – a materialistic theory that suggests that the fundamental unity of the universe is an indivisible atom. Human happiness, the good life, friendship, and the avoidance of excess were the key components of the Epicurean philosophy that flourished in and beyond the post-Hellenic world.
Ancient Greek literature translated into Arabic during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th and 9th centuries influenced Islamic currents with rationalism. Many medieval Muslim thinkers pursued humanistic, rational, and scientific discourses in their search for knowledge, meaning, and values. A wide range of Islamic writings on love, poetry, history, and philosophical theology show that medieval Islamic thought was open to the humanistic ideas of individualism, occasional secularism, skepticism, liberalism, and free speech; Schools were established in Baghdad, Basra and Isfahan. A prominent example is the philosopher Al-Jubba’i, whose advocacy of individual freedom is highlighted by his quote: “God created man to be free as you think. It depends on your human beliefs”. Other philosophers also promoted rational discourse in Islamic literature; among them were Ahmad Miskawayh (940-1030), Ibn Sina (Avicenna) (980-1037) and Ibn Rushd (Averroes) (1126 –1198) Some, including Nasr Abu Zayd and An-Naim, supported the separation of religious and governmental orders.
Renaissance
Portrait of Petrarch painted by Altichiero in 1376
David by Michelangelo, 1501-1504. Artistic work during the Renaissance exemplifies the emphasis placed on human anatomical detail.
The intellectual movement that later became known as “Renaissance Humanism” first appeared in Italy. This movement has greatly influenced Western culture to this day. Italian scholars discovered ancient Greek thought, particularly that of Aristotle, through Arabic translations from Africa and Spain. Renaissance humanism arose in Italy along with the flourishing of literature and the arts in 13th-century Italy. One of the first centers of Greek literary revival was Padua, where Lovato Lovati and others studied ancient texts and wrote new literary works. Other centers were Verona, Naples and Avignon. Petrarch, often referred to as the father of humanism, is an important figure. Petrarch grew up in Avignon; he tended towards education from a very early age and studied alongside his father, who was also well educated. Petrarch’s enthusiasm for ancient texts led him to discover manuscripts influential in Renaissance history, such as Cicero’s Pro Archia and Pomponius Mela’s De chorographia. Petrarch wrote poems such as Canzoniere and De viris illustribus in Latin, in which he described humanistic ideas; his love of antiquity was evident. His most significant contribution was a list of books he produced that outlined the four main categories or disciplines (rhetoric, moral philosophy, poetry, and grammar) that would form the basis of humanistic studies (studia humanitatis) that were widely used for educational purposes. His list drew heavily on ancient writers, notably Cicero.
The revival of neoclassical authors continued after Petrarch’s death. The Florentine chancellor and humanist Coluccio Salutati made his city a prominent bastion of humanist values. Members of his circle included other notable humanists such as Poggio Bracciolini, Niccolò Niccoli, and Leonardo Bruni, who rediscovered, translated, and popularized ancient texts. The humanists managed to establish the principles of education. Vittorino da Feltre and Guarino Veronese founded schools based on humanistic principles, their curriculum was widely adopted and by the 16th century humanistic paideia was the dominant perspective of pre-university education. Parallel to the advances in education, Renaissance humanists made advances in other fields, such as philosophy, mathematics, and religion. In philosophy, Angelo Poliziano, Nicholas of Cusa and Marsilio Ficino helped advance understanding of the ancient classical philosophers, and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola undermined the dominance of Aristotelian philosophy with the revival of the skepticism of Sextus Empiricus. Religion did not remain unaffected by the increased interest of humanistic paideia, Pope Nicholas V initiated the translation of Hebrew and Greek biblical and other texts into Latin.
Humanistic values spread outside of Italy through books and people. Individuals who moved to Italy to study returned to their home countries spreading humanistic messages. Printing works in Venice, Basel and Paris dedicated to the ancient text. By the late 15th century the center of humanism had shifted from Italy to northern Europe, with Erasmus of Rotterdam as the leading humanist scholar. The most profound and enduring impact of Renaissance humanism was its curriculum and methods. Humanists insisted on the importance of classical literature in providing the elite with intellectual discipline, moral standards, and a civilized taste—an approach to education that has continued into the present day.
enlightenment
In the Age of Enlightenment, humanistic ideas reemerged, this time further removed from religion and classical literature. Science, reason, and intellectualism advanced, and reason replaced God as the means of understanding the world. Divinity no longer dictated human morality, and humanistic values such as tolerance and rejection of slavery began to take shape. Life-changing technological discoveries allowed ordinary people to approach religion with a new morality and greater faith in humanity and its abilities. New philosophical, social and political ideas emerged. Some thinkers flatly rejected theism, and various currents formed; Atheism, deism and hostility to organized religion. In particular, during the Enlightenment, Baruch Spinoza redefined God as the totality of nature; Spinoza was accused of atheism but remained silent on the matter. Naturalism was also promoted by prominent encyclopédistes. Baron d’Holbach wrote The Polemical System of Nature, in which he claimed that religion was built on fear and had helped tyrants throughout the ages. Diderot and Helvetius also combined their materialism with sharp political criticism.
Also during the Enlightenment, the abstract image of man began to form – a critical point for the construction of humanistic philosophy. Earlier references to “men” now shifted to “man”; This is evident in political documents such as Rousseau’s Social Contract (1762), in which he says: “Man is born free, but is everywhere in chains”. Likewise, Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man uses the singular form of the word and reveals a universal image of man. In parallel, Baconian empiricism – if not humanism per se – paved the way for Thomas Hobbes’ materialism.
Scholar J. Brent Crosson notes that while it is a widely held belief that the birth of humanism was exclusively a European affair, the fact was that intellectual thought from other continents such as Africa and Asia also made significant contributions. He also notes that during enlightenment, the universal human did not encompass all human beings, but was shaped by gender and race. He believes that human-to-human transition is a process that began during enlightenment and is still ongoing. Crosson also noted that the Enlightenment, particularly in Britain during the Scientific Revolution, not only produced the notion of the universal man and an optimism that reason will triumph over religious superstitions, but also produced pseudo-scientific ideas such as race, which the European shaped history. He gives the paradigm of Africa; Africa was a contributor to knowledge up until the Renaissance, but was neglected thereafter.
From Darwin to the present time
The French philosopher Auguste Comte (1798–1857) introduced the idea of a “religion of mankind” – sometimes attributed to Thomas Paine – an atheistic cult based on some humanistic tenets and had some prominent members, but soon declined. Nonetheless, she was influential in the 19th century, and her humanism and rejection of supernaturalism are reflected in the works of later authors such as Oscar Wilde, George Holyoake – who coined the word secularism – George Eliot, Émile Zola and E.S. Beesly, further re-enforcing and popularization of the human image. Paine’s The Age of Reason along with the 19th-century biblical criticism of the German Hegelians David Strauss and Ludwig Feuerbach—both of whom discuss the meaning of liberty—created forms of humanism.
Advances in science and philosophy further undermined religious belief. Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection offered naturalists an explanation for the diversity of species and weakened the previously convincing teleological argument for the existence of God. Darwin’s theory also implied that humans are just another species, contradicting the traditional theological view that humans are more than just animals. Philosophers Ludwig Feuerbach, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Karl Marx attacked religion on a number of grounds, and theologians David Strauss and Julius Wellhausen questioned the Bible. In parallel, utilitarianism was developed in Britain through the works of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. Utilitarianism, a moral philosophy, focuses its attention on human happiness, aims to eliminate human and animal suffering, while paying no attention to supernatural phenomena. In Europe and the USA, in addition to the philosophical criticism of theistic beliefs, large parts of society have turned away from religion or distanced themselves from it. Ethical societies were formed, leading to the contemporary humanist movement. The advances of the past centuries have made it easy for humanism and other non-religious attitudes to flourish in the western world. But even in liberal countries there is still discrimination against infidels. In the ongoing societal debate, humanists are constant supporters of civil liberties. In many parts of the world, failure to practice the region’s beliefs can lead to persecution, prosecution, and death.
The rise of rationalism and the scientific method was followed in late 19th century Britain by the birth of many rationalist and ethical associations such as the National Secular Society, the Ethical Union and the Rationalist Press Association. In the 20th century, humanism was further promoted by the work of philosophers such as A.J. Ayer, Antony Flew, and Bertrand Russell, whose advocacy of atheism in Why I Am Not a Christian further popularized humanist ideas. In 1963 the British Humanist Association emerged from the Ethical Union and merged with many smaller ethical and rationalist groups. Humanist organizations also flourished elsewhere in Europe. In the Netherlands, the Dutch Humanist Alliance gained a broad base of support after World War II. In Norway, too, the Norwegian Humanist Association gained public support.
Humanism developed in the USA with the help of important figures in the Unitarian Church. Humanist journals such as The New Humanist, which published Humanist Manifesto I in 1933, appeared. The American Ethical Union grew out of newly formed small ethical societies. The American Humanist Association (AHA) was founded in 1941 and became as popular as some of its European counterparts. The AHA spread to every state, and several prominent public figures such as Isaac Asimov, John Dewey, Erich Fromm, Paul Kurtz, Carl Sagan, and Gene Roddenberry became members. Humanist organizations from every continent founded the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), now known as Humanists International, which promotes the humanist agenda through the United Nations agencies UNESCO and UNICEF.
variants of humanism
Early 20th-century naturalists who viewed their humanism as a religion and attended church-like congregations used the term “religious humanism”. Religious humanism emerged primarily in the United States and is rarely practiced today. The American Humanist Association grew out of religious humanism. The same term has also been used by religious groups such as the Quakers to describe themselves, but the term is misapplied in these cases.
The term “Renaissance humanism” was later given to a tradition of cultural and pedagogical reforms pursued by civil and ecclesiastical chancellors, book collectors, educators and writers who, in the late 15th century, came to be known as umanisti (“humanists”). It developed in the 14th and early 15th centuries.While the roots of modern humanism can be traced back to the Renaissance, “Renaissance humanism” differs significantly.
Other terms that use “humanism” in their name include:
“Christian humanism”: a historical current in the late Middle Ages in which Christian scholars combined the Christian faith with an interest in classical antiquity and a focus on human welfare.
“Political Humanism”: used to describe political movements such as Marxism and Communism; However, the associated states and movements of the 20th century did not value freedom of expression and political dissent.
“Ethical humanism”: a synonym for ethical culture, was prominent in the US in the early 20th century and focused on the relationships between people.
“Scientific humanism”: emphasizes belief in the scientific method as part of humanism, as in the works of John Dewey and Julian Huxley. Largely synonymous with secular humanism.
“Secular humanism” was coined in the mid-20th century. It was originally an attempt to denigrate humanism, but was welcomed by some humanist associations. It is synonymous with the contemporary humanist movement.
“Marxist Humanism”
transhumanism
Transhumanism focuses on radically altering the human condition through advanced technologies and medicine, in addition to the education and cultural refinement promoted by humanism.[61] According to transhumanism, humans are limited by their biology and genetics, and these limitations can or should be removed by such technologies.[62] Transhumanism also explores the potential future dangers facing humanity, as the same drugs and technologies that could enhance human biological performance could also suppress humans.[62] Transhumanism considers the “human” in the sense of humanism to be physiologically and conceptually outdated and strives to overcome humanism.[63]
As the transhumanist philosopher Max More explains, “Transhumanism differs from humanism in that it recognizes and anticipates the radical changes in the nature and possibilities of our lives that arise from diverse sciences and technologies.”[64] He also says: “Transhumanists do not see human nature as an end in itself, not perfect, and without claiming our loyalty. Rather, it is just a point on an evolutionary path, and we can learn to reshape our own nature in ways we find desirable and valuable.”[62]
philosophical foundation
The core elements of humanistic thought are education, reason, individualism and a strong belief in universal human nature. Atheism, which is widespread among humanists, is a by-product. Immanuel Kant provided the underpinnings of the humanistic narrative. His theory of critical philosophy laid the foundations for the world of knowledge, defended rationalism, and, along with his anthropology (his study of psychology, ethics, and human nature), established it in the empirical world. He also supported the idea of the moral autonomy of the individual, which was fundamental to his philosophy, and concluded that morality is the product of our way of life, it is not a set of fixed values. Instead of a universalist code of ethics, Kant proposed a universalist procedure that shapes the various ethics that differ between different groups of people.
Humanists believe that education plays a fundamental role in the formation of human nature. Traditional ideas in Western countries have given priority to the mind over the body; Humanists see this as a false dichotomy and emphasize the unity of brain and body. Humanists support sex education to help people understand and express their feelings; Physical education to promote health and moral education through sympathy and tolerance. Some find the exam culture unhelpful, which doesn’t let children focus on their passions and encourages deeper thinking. Humanists are opposed to religious education in schools primarily because they are opposed to indoctrination. A common counter-argument is that parents have the right to raise their children the way they want; Humanists counter that parents do not own their children and therefore have no such right. They argue that children should be raised to make their own decisions and respect their autonomy.
Humanism is heavily based on reason. For humanists, humans are rational beings, but reasoning and the scientific method are the means to finding truth. Science and reason have gained wide approval due to their tremendous achievements in various fields. Appeals to irrationality and invocations of supernatural phenomena have failed to explain the world coherently. One form of irrational thinking is to invoke hidden forces to explain natural phenomena or disease; Humanists are skeptical of such explanations.
The hallmark of humanistic philosophy is human autonomy. For people to be autonomous, their beliefs and actions must be the result of their own reasoning. For humanists, autonomy honors each individual—without autonomy, humans are reduced to less than humans. They also view the human essence as universal, regardless of race or social status, which diminishes the importance of collective identities and marks the importance of individuals.
subjects
humanism and morality
Humanism has a secular approach to morality. Humanism rejects supernatural sources of morality because of their contradiction and because it rejects extranatural phenomena in general. The popular belief that religion is linked to morality is emphasized by Dostoyevsky’s axiom in The Brothers Karamazov; “If God doesn’t exist, then everything is permitted” and his chaos of suggestions arises when religious belief disappears. According to humanists, when people act only out of fear, blind adherence to a dogma, or the expectation of a reward, it is a matter of selfish motivation rather than morality.
For humanists, theism is an obstacle to morality rather than a prerequisite for it. Humanists point to the subjectivity of the supposedly objective divine commandments by referring to the Euthyphro dilemma; does God command something because it is good, or is something good because God commands it? When goodness is independent of God, people can achieve goodness without religion, but relativism is invited when God creates goodness. The interpretation of scriptures almost always involves human reasoning; Interpreters arrive at conflicting theories suggesting that morality is based on human thought.
The humanistic attitude towards morality has changed over the centuries. In modern times, from the 18th century, humanists oriented themselves towards an objective and universalistic attitude towards ethics. Die utilitaristische Philosophie, die darauf abzielt, menschliches Glück zu mehren und menschliches Leid zu verringern, und die kantische Ethik, die nur nach der Maxime handelt, mit der man gleichzeitig wollen kann, dass sie zu einem universellen Gesetz wird, prägten das humanistische Moralnarrativ bis in die frühen Jahre 20. Jahrhundert. Da die Konzepte des freien Willens und der Vernunft nicht auf wissenschaftlichem Naturalismus basieren, blieb ihr Einfluss auf die Humanisten im frühen 20. Jahrhundert bestehen, wurde aber durch soziale Progressivität und Egalitarismus verringert.
Der zeitgenössische Humanismus betrachtet die Moral als ein natürliches Phänomen, das sich mit und um die Gesellschaft herum entwickelt. Moral wird eher als ein Werkzeug angesehen, das auf das Gedeihen des Menschen abzielt, als auf eine Reihe von Lehren. John R. Shook schrieb;
Humanismus ist jene ethische Philosophie, die den Menschen und seine Moral naturalistisch betrachtet; versteht das ordnungsgemäße Funktionieren von Moral und Kultur für ihren Beitrag zum menschlichen Gedeihen in diesem Leben; betrachtet jeden Menschen als gleichermaßen würdig der moralischen Behandlung und des Schutzes; respektiert, wie sehr Menschen sehr sozial sind und gemeinschaftliche Ermutigung und Unterstützung brauchen; fördert die Fähigkeit der Intelligenz zur Bewertung und Änderung der Moral und breiterer kultureller Wege; privilegiert individuelle Würde und Autonomie über die notwendigen, aber untergeordneten Ziele kultureller oder politischer Gruppen; und ermutigt ethische Ideale zur Förderung der menschlichen Intelligenz und zum Gedeihen, die alle Kulturen vernünftigerweise unterstützen können.
Zusammen mit den sozialen Veränderungen, mit denen die Nationen im späten 20. Jahrhundert konfrontiert waren, entwickelte sich die humanistische Ethik zu einer ständigen Stimme, die Säkularismus, Bürgerrechte, persönliche Autonomie, religiöse Toleranz, Multikulturalismus und Kosmopolitismus unterstützt.
Der humanistische Philosoph Brian Ellis plädiert für eine sozialhumanistische Theorie der Moral namens “sozialvertraglicher Utilitarismus”, die auf Humes Naturalismus und Empathie, der aristotelischen Tugendtheorie und Kants Idealismus aufbaut. Laut Ellis sollte Moral auf Eudaimonia abzielen, ein aristotelisches Konzept, das ein befriedigendes Leben mit Tugend und Glück verbindet, indem es Gesellschaften auf globaler Ebene verbessert. Der Humanist Andrew Copson verfolgt einen konsequentialistischen und utilitaristischen Ansatz zur Moral. Laut Copson zielen alle humanistischen ethischen Merkmale auf das Wohlergehen der Menschen ab. Der Philosoph Stephen Law betont bestimmte Prinzipien der humanistischen Ethik; Respekt vor der persönlichen moralischen Autonomie, Ablehnung gottgegebener moralischer Gebote, ein Ziel für das menschliche Wohlergehen und “Betonung der Rolle der Vernunft bei moralischen Urteilen”.
Humanismus und Religion
Humanismus ist eine naturalistische Philosophie – sie lehnt Götter, Engel, unsterbliche Seelen und alle übernatürlichen Phänomene ab. Das Universum ist natürlich und kann von der Wissenschaft untersucht werden. Während der Widerstand gegen die verschiedenen Formen des Theismus aus vielen philosophischen oder historischen Bereichen kommen mag, ist das überzeugendste Argument in Bezug auf die öffentliche Meinung der Naturalismus. Historische Argumente überzeugen die Öffentlichkeit nicht, weil historische Forschung oft offen für Interpretationen ist. Ästhetische (klassische Literatur berührt die Menschenseelen mehr als heilige Schriften) oder ethische (Religionsgeschichte zu Sklaverei, Homosexuellenrechte, Rassismus) Argumente lassen sich aus ähnlichen Gründen in weiten Teilen der Bevölkerung nicht überzeugen. Angetrieben von den Erfolgen von Wissenschaft und Technik gewinnen naturalistische Argumente in der öffentlichen Meinung an Bedeutung.
Andererseits greifen traditionelle Argumente für die Existenz Gottes zu kurz. Dem ontologischen Argument (ungefähr, dass Gott existiert, weil wir an ihn denken können) mangelt es an empirischen Beweisen und scheinbar an Verständnis der Realität. Das kosmologische Argument (Gott als die notwendige erste Ursache) beweist auch nicht die Existenz Gottes, da andere Ursachen oder Antriebskräfte (physische Einheiten, Masse, Energie oder etwas anderes) die Ursache des Universums gewesen sein könnten. Das teleologische Argument (oder Designargument) wurde durch Darwins Evolutionstheorie durch natürliche Auslese eliminiert. Das Versagen rationaler Argumente, Gottes Existenz zu beweisen, beweist jedoch nicht Gottes Nichtexistenz. Eine häufigere Ursache für religiöse Überzeugungen sind persönliche Erfahrungen – was ebenfalls problematisch ist, da persönliche Erfahrungen vage und interpretierbar sind und auch Wunschdenken zu gewünschten Schlussfolgerungen führen kann.
Während der Humanismus als Antithese zu religiösen Einrichtungen gegründet wurde, sind religiöse Ansichten nicht völlig unvereinbar mit Humanismus. Viele Deisten zum Beispiel (wie Mary Wollstonecraft, Voltaire, Thomas Paine) hatten Ansichten, die mit einer humanistischen Lebenseinstellung in Einklang standen – da (für Deisten) Gott nicht in unser tägliches Leben eingreift oder Befehle erteilt, können sie eine humanistische Perspektive vertreten . Also, many humanists have an anthropological interest in religions—how they evolved, matured, affect morality, and other features of the human condition.
Humanism and the meaning of life
In the 19th century, the problem of the meaning of life arose, along with the decline of religion and its accompanied teleology, puzzling both society and philosophers. Unlike religions, humanism does not have a definite view on the meaning of life. Humanists commonly say people create rather than discover meaning. While many philosophers such as Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche wrote on the meaning of life in a godless world, the work of Albert Camus has echoed and shaped humanism. In The Myth of Sisyphus, the absurd hero Sisyphus is destined to push a heavy rock up to a hill; the rock slips back and he must repeat the task.
Personal humanist interpretations of the meaning of life vary from the pursuit of happiness without recklessness and excesses to participation in human history and connection with loved ones, living animals, and plants. Some answers are not far from those of religious discourse if the appeal to divinity is overlooked. According to humanist professor Peter Derks, the features that contribute to the meaning of life are: having a purpose in life that is morally worthy, positively evaluating oneself, having an understanding of one’s environment, being seen and understood by others, the ability to connect emotionally with others, and a desire to have a meaning in life. Humanist professor Anthony B. Pinn places the meaning of life in the quest of what he calls “complex subjectivity”. Pinn, who is advocating for a non-theistic, humanistic religion inspired by African cultures, says seeking the never-reaching meaning of life contributes to well-being. Pinn argues rituals and ceremonies, which are times for reflection, provide an opportunity to assess the meaning of life, improving well-being.
Well-being and the living of a good life have been at the center of humanist reflection. For humanists, well-being is intertwined with values that arise from the meaning of life that each human sets for him or herself. Humanist philosopher Bertrand Russell described the good life as one “inspired by love, guided by knowledge”. A.C. Grayling noted a good life “is the life that feels meaningful and fulfilling to the one living it”. Despite the platitudes, humanism does not have a doctrine of good life nor offers any certainties; each person should decide for herself what constitutes a good life. For humanists, it is vital the option for a meaningful and fulfilling life is open to all members of society.
Humanism in politics
Practically, humanism advocates for democracy, and champions human rights and progressive policies. Humanism emphasizes individual freedom, the open society, and secularism. For humanism, freedom of the individual is a priority and any restriction placed upon it due to communal living should be well justified; as a result, humanism leans towards liberalism. Humanists believe society should include everyone, independent of race, religion, and sexual orientation. Humanism defends secularism, which they deem fairer in comparison with theocracy; they argue secularism prevents discrimination, protects the plurality of modern societies, and preserves personal autonomy. Humanism is at odds with conservatism, which relies on long‐standing traditions, and tries to preserve Christian values: elements such as xenophobia, bigotry, and animal cruelty are sometimes also part of Christian values. Humanism also opposes the irrationality of nationalism and totalitarianism, whether these be part of fascism or Marxist–Leninist communism.
In political theory, contemporary humanism is sculptured by two main axons. The first is more individualistic, and the second inclines to collectivism. The trajectory of these two axons leads to libertarianism and socialism respectively, but a whole range of various combinations exist. Individualistic humanists, are often have a philosophical perspective of humanism, in the political arena are inclined to libertarianism and in ethics tend to follow a scientistic approach. Those who lean to collectivism, have a more applied view of humanism, they lean towards socialism and have a humanitarian approach in ethics. The second group has some connections with the thought of young Marx, especially his anthropological views rejecting his political practices. A factor that holds many humanists away from the libertarian view, is the consequences they feel it bears. Libertarianism is tied to neoliberalism and capitalistic society that is conceived to be inhumane.
Historically, humanism has been a part of both major 20th-century ideological currents—liberalism and Marxism. Early 19th-century socialism was connected to humanism. In the twentieth century, a humanistic interpretation of Marxism focused on Marx’s early writings, viewing Marxism not as a “scientific socialism” but as a philosophical critique aimed at the overcoming of “alienation”. In the US, liberalism is associated mostly with humanistic principles, which is distinct from the European use of the same word, which has economical connotations. In the Post-War era, Jean-Paul Sartre and other French existentialists advocated for humanism, tying it to socialism while trying to stay neutral during the Cold War.
Humanist psychology and counselling
Humanist counseling is the applied psychology inspired by humanism, which is one of the major currents of counseling. There are various approaches such as discussion and critical thinking, replying to existential anxiety, and focusing on social and political dimensions of problems. Humanist counseling focuses on respecting the worldview of clients and placing it in the correct cultural context. The approach emphasizes an individual’s inherent drive towards self-actualization and creativity. It also recognizes the importance of moral questions about the way one should interact with people according to one’s worldview. This is examined using a process of dialogue. Generally, humanist counseling aspires to help people to live a good, fulfilling, and meaningful life by continual interpretation and reflection. Humanist counseling originated in the post-World War II Netherlands.
Humanistic counseling, a different term from humanist counseling, is based on the works of psychologists Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. It introduced a positive, humanistic psychology in response to what they viewed as the over-pessimistic view of psychoanalysis in the early 1960s. Other sources include the philosophies of existentialism and phenomenology.
Geographies of humanism
Africa
In Africa, contemporary humanism has been shaped from its colonial history and the introduction of Christianity and Islam. African philosophers focused on the interdependency among humans and among humans and nature. Pre-colonial oral traditions reflecting African views on human and human good, were eliminated by the conquer of European powers. Christianity and Islam advanced and many inta-African autrocities took place. Even so, Africans never abandoned the ideas of human value and the mutual interdependence of humans, which are core features of African humanism. This idea was advanced by philosophers such as Kwasi Wiredu and Jean-Godefroy Bidima. Wiredu emphased the need of human interaction for human to become what he is, and projected his thought to the need for democracy. Bidima added that the interaction should be enduringly since history and humans are constantly evolving. Socialist philosopher Léopold Sédar Senghor, Africans were naturally leaning towards humanism (and socialism), not because of its scientific or epistemological basis, but because of their intuition.
Middle East
It is a wide-held view, that in middle East, due to the dominance of Islam, humanistic values found a hostile environment and were unable to flourish. Even though, scholar Khurram Hussain identifies some traits among early Islam world which he thinks they resonate with humanism. He notes that Islam unified a diverse population and provided political, epistemological and social solutions to the then fragmented Arab world. Also, Hussain argues that there is a form of humanism within the Islamic anthropology. To support his argument, he notes various examples (i.e. the lack of “original sin”) indicating that in Islamic theology, human is a free moral agent. He also points to the thought of Islamic scholars as Ibn al-‛Arabī and al-Jīlī that placed human in the centre of the universe, a place held for God in Christian traditions. Khurram Hussain also notes the Arab Spring of 2011 reviled that humanistic values (as democracy, freedom, fairness) are popular in Middle East and are not inheritable incompatible from Islam.
East Asia
In East Asia, Confucianism’s core ideas are humanistic. The philosophy of Confucius (551–479 BCE), which eventually became the basis of the state ideology of successive Chinese dynasties and nearby polities in East Asia, contains several humanistic traits, placing a high value on human life, and discounting mysticism and superstition, including speculations on ghosts and an afterlife. Confucianism is considered a religious form of humanism because supernatural phenomena such as Heaven (tian)—which supposedly guides the world—have a place in it. In the Analects of Confucius, humanist features are apparent; respectfulness, reasonableness, kindness, and enthusiasm for learning. A fundamental teaching of Confucius was that a person could achieve chün‐tzu (the quality of being noble, just, or kind) through education. Without religious appeals, Confucius advised people to act according to an axiom that is the negative mirror of the Western golden rule: “Is there one word that one can act upon throughout the course of one’s life?” According to Confucius; “Reciprocity [shu]—what you would not want for yourself, do not do to others”. (Analects 15:23) After Confucius’ death, his disciple Mencius (371–289 BCE) centered his philosophies on secular, humanistic concerns like the nature of good governance and the role of education rather than ideas founded on the state or folk religions of the time. Early Taoism and Buddhism also include humanistic characteristics.
Societies in China, Japan and Korea were shaped by the prevalence of humanistic Confucianism. Other humanistic currents of thought in East Asia, reflecting humanistic ideas are Daoism and Buddhism.
North America
In the United States, constitution was shaped by humanistic ideas endorsed as part of the Enlightenment of the first presidents of the United States, but did not go far enough to tackle gender and race inequality issues. Black communities experiencing injustice leaned towards atheism in the 20th Century. Lately, many black organizations rejecting theism or having a humanistic related agenda are loosely connected within the Black Lives Matter movement. Black literature reveals the quest for freedom and justice in a community often subordinated to white dominance.
Latin America
Humanism in Latin America is hard to detect mainly because of the dominance of Catholicism and Protestantism. European positivism had influenced the thought of scholars and political leaders in Latin America during the 19th century but its influences waved at the next century. In recent years, humanist organizations have multiplied in Latin America.
Europe
In Europe, various currents of 19th century though as freethinkers, ethicists, atheists and rationalists have merged to form the contemporary humanist movement. Various national organizations founded the European Humanist Federation (EHF) in 1991, affirming their strong support of secularism. All humanistic organizations strongly promote a naturalistic world view, scientific approach, individualism and solidarity but they vary in terms of their practice. One line is that they should focus to meet the needs of nonreligious peoples or their members, the other one is pursuing activism in order to bring social change. These two main patterns in European humanism, that coexist within humanist organizations often collude with each other.
Demographics of humanism
Humanists demographic data are sparse. Scholar Yasmin Trejo examined the results of a Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study, that was released in 2014. Trejo did not use self-identification as a method to measure humanists, but combined the answers of 2 particular questions: “Do you believe in God or a universal spirit?” (she picked those answering “no”) and “when it comes to questions of right or wrong, which of the following do you look to most for guidance?” (picking answers “scientific information” and “philosophy and reason”). Trejo finds that most humanists identify as atheist or agnostics (37% and 18%), 29% as “nothing in particular”, while 16% of humanists identify as religious (following religious traditions). She also found that most humanists (80%) were raised having a religious background. 6 out of 10 humanists are married to non-religious spouses, while one in four humanists are married to a Christian. There is a gender divide among Humanists, most of them being males (67%) Trejo suggests that this can be explained by the fact that more atheists are males, while women are not easily drifted away from religion because of socialization, community influence and stereotypes. Other findings is the high education level of most humanists (higher than general population) that indicates a higher socialeconomic status. Finally, the overwhelming population of humanists is non-Hispanic Whites; Trejo’s explanations is that minority groups are usually very religious.
Humanist organizations
Richard Dawkins accepting the Services to Humanism award 2012 at the British Humanist Association Annual Conference
Humanist organizations exist in several countries. Humanists International is a global organization. Humanists UK (formerly the British Humanist Association) and the American Humanist Association are two of the oldest humanist organizations.
London-based Humanists UK has around 28,000 members and a budget of over £1 million (2015 figures) to cover operational costs. Its membership includes some high-profile people such as Richard Dawkins, Brian Cox, Salman Rushdie, Polly Toynbee, and Stephen Fry, who are mostly known for their participation in public debate, promoting reason, science and secularism, and objecting to state funding for faith-based events or institutes. Humanists UK organizes and conducts non-religious ceremonies for weddings, namings, coming of age, and funerals. According to Stephen Law, ceremonies and rituals exist in our culture because they help humans express emotions rather than having a magical effect on the participants.
The American Humanist Association was formed in 1941 from previous humanist associations. Its journal The Humanist is the continuation of a previous publication The Humanist Bulletin. In 1953, the AHA established the “Humanist of the Year” award to honor individuals who promote science. A few decades later, it became a well-recognized organization, initiating progressive campaigns for abortion rights and opposing discriminatory policies, resulted in it becoming a target of the religious right by the 1980s. High-profile members of academia and public figures have published work in The Humanist, and joined and lead the AHA.
Criticism
Criticism of humanism focuses on its adherence to human rights, which some critics have further claimed are “Western”. Critics claim humanist values are becoming a tool of Western moral dominance, which is a form of neo-colonialism leading to oppression and a lack of ethical diversity. Other critics argue humanism is an oppressive philosophy because it is not free from the biases of the white, heterosexual males who shaped it.
Anthropology professor Talal Asad sees humanism as a project of modernity and a secularized continuation of Western Christian theology. In Asad’s view, just as the Catholic Church passed the Christian doctrine of love to Africa and Asia while assisting in the enslavement of large parts of their population, humanist values have at times been a pretext for Western countries to expand their influence to other parts of the world to humanize “barbarians”. Asad has also argued humanism is not a purely secular phenomenon but takes from Christianity the idea of the essence of humanity. Asad is not optimistic Western humanisms can incorporate other humanistic traditions such as those from India and China without subsuming and ultimately eliminating them.
Sociology professor Didier Fassin sees humanism’s focus on empathy and compassion rather than goodness and justice as a problem. According to Fassin, humanism originated in the Christian tradition, particularly the Parable of the Good Samaritan, in which empathy is universalized. Fassin also claims humanism’s central essence, the sanctity of human life, is a religious victory hidden in a secular wrapper.
History professor Samuel Moyn attacks humanism for its advocacy of human rights. According to Moyn, in the 1960s, human rights were a declaration of anti-colonial struggle but during the 1970s, they were transformed into a utopian vision, replacing the failing utopias of the 20th century. The humanist underpinning of human rights transforms them into a moral tool that is impractical and ultimately non-political. He also finds a commonality between humanism and the Catholic discourse on human dignity.
Antihumanism
Antihumanism is the rejection of humanism on the ground it is a pre-scientific ideology. This argument developed during the 19th and 20th centuries in parallel with the advancement of humanism. Prominent thinkers questioned the metaphysics of humanism and the human nature of its concept of freedom. Nietzsche, while departing from a humanistic, pro-Enlightenment viewpoint, criticized humanism for illusions on a number of topics, especially the nature of truth. For him, objective truth is an anthropomorphic illusion and humanism is meaningless. Nietzsche also argued replacing theism with reason, science, and truth is nothing but replacing one religion with another.
According to Karl Marx, humanism is a bourgeois project that attempts to present itself as radical but is not. After the atrocities of World War II, questions about human nature and the concept of humanity were renewed. During the Cold War, influential Marxist philosopher Louis Althusser introduced the term “theoretical antihumanism” to attack both humanism and socialist currents that leaned towards humanism, eschewing more structural and formal interpretations of Marx. According to Althusser, Marx’s early writings resonate with the humanistic idealism of Hegel, Kant, and Feuerbach but in 1845, Marx took a radical turn towards scientific socialism, rejecting concepts such as the essence of man. Other antihumanists such as Martin Heidegger and Michel Foucault attacked the notion of humanity using psychoanalysis, Marxism, and linguistic theory.
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