The Philosophy of Humanism
Humanism
The
philosophy of Humanism and the consensus of beliefs that are central to it
are expressed in The
Humanist Manifesto III.
Humanism is the belief that human beings are a part of nature, that they have emerged as a result of a continuous evolutionary process, and that all their values—religious, ethical, political, and social—spring from human experience and are the product of their culture.
Humanism is free from any belief in the supernatural, and is dedicated to the search for meaning and values for individuals on this earth through reliance on intelligence and the scientific method, democracy and social sympathy.
Humanism affirms the inherent dignity and worth of every human being, and asserts that persons are responsible for the realization of their aspirations and that they have within themselves the power of achieving them.
In essence, Humanists seek truth rather than myth, understanding in the place of dogma, reason rather than blind faith, hope rather than despair, self acceptance rather than guilt, tolerance in the place of fear, democracy rather than authoritarianism, and kindness instead of selfishness.
The
Affirmations of Humanism
We are committed to the application of
reason and science to the understanding of the Universe and to the solving
of human problems. We reject efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek
to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside nature for
a salvation. We are committed to the principle of the separation of church
and state.
We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity.
We believe in enjoying life here and now and cultivating moral excellence.
We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, and responsibility. Humanist ethics are amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences.
We affirm Humanism as a realistic alternative to theologies of despair and ideologies of violence.
We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest that we are capable of as human beings.
For
More Information on Humanism
For
more
detailed information on Humanism and a list of publications, go to the American
Humanist Association web site: Humanist
Philosophy web pages.