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What
is Humanism?
 The
short answer is: A philosophy for people who (a) don't believe in
anything supernatural, but (b) who care about right and wrong, and
living ethically.
Values
of Humanism
Humanism is a
naturalistic worldview with a long history of contribution to humanity. It
encourages ethical integrity and promotes science and reason in the
solving of human dilemmas and moral concerns. The following are some of
the general values of Humanism...
Compassion:
Deep concern for the well being and prosperity of all of humanity and its
individuals. Support for democracy and human rights. Love and respect of
our fellow human being. This includes our entire human family, regardless
of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or
disability.
Reason:
A commitment to the use of reason in making our personal decisions and
forming public policy. We base our actions off of what can be empirically
observed in the physical world around us. Alternatives to reason such as
mysticism, faith, revelation, or other superstitions are delusional,
arbitrary and counterproductive.
Healthy Skepticism:
The degree of belief in a proposition should match the degree of evidence.
A healthy skepticism, as opposed to gullibility, encourages us to think
for ourselves. We do not accept dogma, mythology, or ideology at face
value without question, be it nationalistic, religious, political, racial,
economic, or cultural in nature. Freethought means that there are no taboo
subjects when it comes to rational thinking. Nothing should be off limits
to review and evaluation based on the physical evidence.
Natural Ethics:
An ethical system based on this world and not an alleged transcendental (supernatural)
one. Natural ethics are created by humans to enable and enhance our
relationships and cooperation for our mutual well being. Humanists live by
moral deliberation and reflection, open to rational guidance and
improvement and not by simplistic, dogmatic, or authoritarian ethical
commandments. We believe in the ability to live the 'good life' and
achieve moral excellence without superstition or faith in the
supernatural.
Confidence:
A belief that humanity need not be doomed to failure or ravaged by evil.
Human beings are capable of great works of good, they are capable of great
achievements, and they are capable of improvement. History has shown
progress and there is good reason to believe that we can continue to
prosper - both individually and globally. Humanism is a philosophy that
provides meaning and guidance for people seeking to lead happy and
socially responsible lives without supernaturalism.
More
On Humanism
For more information on
Humanism, these sites are very informative...
- Humanist
Manifesto III
- The
Humanist Philosophy in Perspective
- A
Secular Humanist Declaration
- The
American Humanist Association
- The
Council for Secular Humanism
- Wikipedia
article on Humanism
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