Outline of humanism

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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to humanism:

Contents

Humanism group of philosophies and ethical perspectives which emphasize the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and generally prefers individual thought and evidence (rationalism, empiricism), over established doctrine or faith (fideism). Two common forms of humanism are religious humanism and secular humanism.

Humanism, term freely applied to a variety of beliefs, methods, and philosophies that place central emphasis on the human realm. Most frequently, however, the term is used with reference to a system of education and mode of inquiry that developed in northern Italy during the 13th and 14th centuries and later spread through continental Europe and England. Alternately known as Renaissance humanism, this program was so broadly and profoundly influential that it is one of the chief reasons why the Renaissance is viewed as a distinct historical period. Indeed, though the word Renaissance is of more recent coinage, the fundamental idea of that period as one of renewal and reawakening is humanistic in origin. But humanism sought its own philosophical bases in far earlier times and, moreover, continued to exert some of its power long after the end of the Renaissance. [1]

Nature of humanism

Humanism can be described as all of the following:

Branches of humanism

Humanist positions

Religious humanist positions

Supports

Rejects

Secular humanist positions

Supports

Rejects

Manifestos and statements setting out humanist viewpoints

History of humanism

Humanist beliefs

Religious humanist beliefs

Secular humanist beliefs

Humanist ethics

Humanist virtues and values

Humanist culture

The "Happy Human" HumanismSymbol.svg
The "Happy Human"

General concepts pertaining to and embraced by humanism

Other humanist terms include:

Organizations

For more organizations see Category:Humanist associations

Humanists

List of humanists

Leaders in humanism

People who have made a major impact on the development or advancement of humanism:

Other notable humanists

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secular humanism</span> Life stance that embraces human reason, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism

Secular humanism is a philosophy, belief system or life stance that embraces human reason, logic, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, and superstition as the basis of morality and decision making.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious humanism</span> Integration of humanist ethical philosophy

Religious humanism or ethical humanism is an integration of nontheistic humanist ethical philosophy with congregational rites and community activity which center on human needs, interests, and abilities. Self-described religious humanists differ from secular humanists mainly in that they regard the nontheistic humanist life stance as a non-supernatural "religion" and organising using a congregational model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Kurtz</span> American philosopher (1925–2012)

Paul Kurtz was an American scientific skeptic and secular humanist. He has been called "the father of secular humanism". He was Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, having previously also taught at Vassar, Trinity, and Union colleges, and the New School for Social Research.

Sherwin Theodore Wine, Hebrew name שמעון בן צבי, Shimon ben Tzvi, was an American rabbi and a founding figure of Humanistic Judaism, a movement that emphasizes Jewish culture and history as sources of Jewish identity rather than belief in any gods. He was originally ordained as a Reform rabbi but later founded the Birmingham Temple, the first congregation of Humanistic Judaism, in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanistic Judaism</span> Nontheistic alternative to religious Judaism

Humanistic Judaism is a Jewish movement that offers a nontheistic alternative to contemporary branches of Judaism. It defines Judaism as the cultural and historical experience of the Jewish people rather than a religion, and encourages Jews who are humanistic and secular to celebrate their identity by participating in relevant holidays and rites of passage with inspirational ceremonies that go beyond traditional literature while still drawing upon it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanists UK</span> Charitable organization promoting secular humanism

Humanists UK, known from 1967 until May 2017 as the British Humanist Association (BHA), is a charitable organisation which promotes secular humanism and aims to represent "people who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs" in the United Kingdom by campaigning on issues relating to humanism, secularism, and human rights. It seeks to act as a representative body for non-religious people in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Smoker</span> British humanist (1923–2020)

Barbara Smoker was a British humanist activist and freethought advocate. She was also President of the National Secular Society (1972–1996), Chair of the British Voluntary Euthanasia Society (1981–1985) and an Honorary Vice President of the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethical movement</span> Ethical, educational, and religious movement

The Ethical movement is an ethical, educational, and religious movement established in 1877, by the academic Felix Adler (1851–1933). In effort to develop humanist codes of behavior, the Ethical movement emerged from the moral traditions of the secular societies of Europe and the secular society of the United States of the 19th century. In practice, the Ethical movement organized themselves as two types of organization: (i) a secular humanist movement and (ii) a moral movement, with a religious approach.

The Rationalist Society of Australia (RSA) promotes the interests of rationalists nationally in Australia. Originally formed as the Victorian Rationalist Association, the society originated in a meeting of freethinkers in the University of Melbourne in 1906. It is the operational arm of the rationalist movement in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Humanist Institute</span> Humanist association

The Humanist Institute is a training program for leaders within the humanist, and secular humanist movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanism</span> Philosophical school of thought

Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association</span>

The Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association is a humanist lifestance organization in Iceland, that promotes secularism, offers celebrancy services and contributes to the spreading of humanism in Iceland and abroad. It is a member of the European Humanist Federation and Humanists International.

Humanism may refer to ethical philosophies such as

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of humanism articles</span>

Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. Articles related to humanism include:

Articles related to philosophy of religion include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organized secularism</span> Belgian irreligious union

In Belgium, organized secularism is the local associations and organizations which provide moral support for naturalist, atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, freethinking, Bright, or irreligious and non-confessional citizens. A person who subscribes to such entities or ideologies, or at least espouses an interest in "free inquiry" apart from religious traditions is described as a "secular" or "free-thinker".

Transcendental Humanism in philosophy considers humans as simultaneously the originator of meaning, and subject to a larger ultimate truth that exists beyond the human realm (transcendence). The philosophy suggests that the humanistic approach is guided by “accuracy, truth, discovery, and objectivity” that transcends or exists apart from subjectivity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transhumanist politics</span> Political ideology

Transhumanist politics constitutes a group of political ideologies that generally express the belief in improving human individuals through science and technology. Specific topics include space migration, and cryogenic suspension. It is considered the opposing ideal to the concept of bioconservatisim, as Transhumanist politics argue for the use of all technology to enhance human individuals.

References

  1. "humanism". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  2. "Buddhist Humanism | Daisaku Ikeda Website".
  3. "Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom/Zen Buddhist Temple, Chicago, Toronto, Ann Arbor, New York City, Mexico City, 자혜불교회 선련사". zenbuddhisttemple.org. Archived from the original on 31 July 2009.
  4. Ikeda Unger p.4 iop.or.jp [ dead link ]
  5. "Buddhism and Social Action: An Exploration".
  6. Gandhi and Mah Y Na Humanism wabash.edu
  7. "Buddhism and Human Rights".
  8. "Secular ethics necessary for world peace: Dalai Lama".
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. Thoughts on Education for Global Citizenship columbia.edu
  11. Edwords, Fred (1989). "What Is Humanism?". American Humanist Association. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2009. Secular Humanism is an outgrowth of eighteenth century enlightenment rationalism and nineteenth century freethought... Secular and Religious Humanists both share the same worldview and the same basic principles... From the standpoint of philosophy alone, there is no difference between the two. It is only in the definition of religion and in the practice of the philosophy that Religious and Secular Humanists effectively disagree.
  12. Compact Oxford English dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2007. humanism n. 1 a rationalistic system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters.
  13. "Definitions of humanism (subsection)". Institute for Humanist Studies. Archived from the original on 18 January 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2007.
  14. Rethinking Peter Singer: a Christian Critique, by Gordon R. Preece
  15. Applied ethics: a non-consequentialist approach, by David S. Oderberg
  16. Humanism and Personism: The false philosophy of Peter Singer, by Jenny Teichman
  17. Singer, Peter (October–November 2004). "Taking Humanism Beyond Speciesism". Free Inquiry. 24 (6): 19–21. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  18. Hayles, N. Katherine (1999). How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics. University Of Chicago Press. ISBN   0-226-32146-0.
  19. World Transhumanist Association (2002–2005). "The transhumanist FAQ" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 December 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2006.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  20. "Jewish Humanism | Texts & Source Sheets from Torah, Talmud and Sefaria's library of Jewish sources". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  21. "James Bible" . Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  22. "Islamic Humanism (review)" . Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  23. Potter, Charles Francis (19 July 1930). "Humanism, a new religion". New York : Simon and Schuster. Retrieved 19 July 2023 via Internet Archive.
Organizations