Philosophy
Humanism
Humanists generally put human dignity, reason, compassion, and shared ethics at the center of life.
01
Identity Card
- Name and etymology
- Latin humanitas, emphasizing human-centered thought.
- Type
- Ethical worldview; can be religious or secular.
- Founder or origin
- Roots in Renaissance Italy (Petrarch, Erasmus); modern form in 20th c.
- Date and place
- Renaissance Europe (14th–16th c.); 1933 Humanist Manifesto (US).
- Adherents
- Difficult to measure; millions identify as humanists worldwide.
02
Source of Authority
- Primary scripture
- No scripture; Humanist Manifestos I, II, III; works of Erasmus, Mill, Russell.
- Source of truth
- Reason, science, lived human experience.
- Authority structure
- Humanist associations (IHEU, American Humanist Association).
03
Core Beliefs
- Core idea
- Humanists generally believe people can build good lives and better societies through reason, empathy, and cooperation.
- View of God or ultimate reality
- Secular humanists usually do not rely on belief in God; religious humanists may keep religious language while focusing on human welfare.
- View of humanity
- Inherently dignified, capable of moral progress without divine command.
- View of the world
- Natural, knowable, improvable through human effort.
04
Practical Implications
- Purpose of life
- To live ethically, flourish, and contribute to human well-being.
- Ethics
- Based on empathy, reason, and consequences — not divine command.
- Afterlife
- Generally none expected; legacy lives through impact and memory.
- Key practices
- Education, advocacy for human rights, secular ceremonies.
05
Comparative Lenses
- Main branches
- Secular humanism, religious humanism, transhumanism.
- Relationship to others
- Influences liberal democracy, education, science.
- Common critiques
- Charged with anthropocentrism; questioned by post-humanists.
- Modern adaptations
- Transhumanism, AI ethics, planetary humanism.
Simple educational summaries. For religions, claims are attributed to scripture or major source texts where possible; where no scripture exists, wording describes what followers/supporters generally hold. References are starting points, not exhaustive academic citations.