One of our students wrote a short piece about his Humanist worldview:
" 'Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.'
The Definition of Humanism
Simply put, Humanism is the belief that we can lead fulfilling and meaningful lives without god."
What do you think is true about God?
Humanism is Naturalistic, which means that it does not accept the existence of the supernatural, including any and all gods. The main reason Humanists have for rejecting religious belief is to do with the Rationality of Belief.
In the view of humanists, the claims that religion makes about the world such as ‘God exists’, are claims that fall within the reach of scientific rationality, and should be subjected to as much scrutiny as any other claim. When we apply this standard to God, we see that the usual reasons for believing in him; such as Revelation, simply do not meet the standard required. Therefore, the probability of god’s existence becomes so vanishingly small that it is irrational to believe in him.
God is believed to be a fantastically powerful and complex being, capable of deliberately designing our universe and being intimately involved with our individual affairs, but ultimately no explanation of his existence has ever been provided.
In the view of humanists, the claims that religion makes about the world such as ‘God exists’, are claims that fall within the reach of scientific rationality, and should be subjected to as much scrutiny as any other claim. When we apply this standard to God, we see that the usual reasons for believing in him; such as Revelation, simply do not meet the standard required. Therefore, the probability of god’s existence becomes so vanishingly small that it is irrational to believe in him.
God is believed to be a fantastically powerful and complex being, capable of deliberately designing our universe and being intimately involved with our individual affairs, but ultimately no explanation of his existence has ever been provided.
What do you think happens when you die?
Since humanists do not believe in the supernatural, they do not believe in life beyond death, or in an immortal soul. However, this should in no way demean the life we do have. The humanist focus is not on some imaginary paradise after death, but rather on life before death, and how we should live in the here and now.
What are people?
"Yes, we have a soul, but it’s made of lots of tiny robots."
Humanists believe that we are the product of a series of natural processes, beginning with the big bang and leading to the slow, gradual creation of new species by evolution. At no point in this process was an immaterial ‘soul’ injected into the human body; all that we are is contained within a few kilograms of grey matter.
However the interactions of cells within the brain can produce many of the qualities attributed to a soul. The very fact that human beings have evolved as social animals created the emotions of empathy that form the basis of our morality. Our moral sense is just one of the qualities that we unlike every other animal, possess, but we are still fundamentally the same.
Humanists believe that we are the product of a series of natural processes, beginning with the big bang and leading to the slow, gradual creation of new species by evolution. At no point in this process was an immaterial ‘soul’ injected into the human body; all that we are is contained within a few kilograms of grey matter.
However the interactions of cells within the brain can produce many of the qualities attributed to a soul. The very fact that human beings have evolved as social animals created the emotions of empathy that form the basis of our morality. Our moral sense is just one of the qualities that we unlike every other animal, possess, but we are still fundamentally the same.
What do you live for?
We can understand our position in the world, we can see the future, and we can understand where we came from. We know that we’re here.
It is a central tenet of humanism that when we reject religion, we do not simply collapse into a state of despair, where meaning in life is simply whatever seems best to you, there is no real truth and no way to defend your beliefs. The ancient philosopher Socrates famously said, ‘the unconsidered life is not worth living’, and humanists follow this in attempting to forge a robust system of values in place of religion.
In the view of humanists, it is the mere fact of our existence that provides us with purpose. Our species is alone in being able to consider life, reflect on what we are doing and decide the values that we are going to live by. In a few decades, we will lose this ability when we die.
As for morality, humanist’s draw on human universals such as reason, and mutual empathy, that transcends cultures and religions. (This fact in itself should undermine religion’s claim to be the ultimate source of moral value) We can use our reasoning to extend our simple emotional rules and form a society with the goals of human welfare and flourishing.
It is a central tenet of humanism that when we reject religion, we do not simply collapse into a state of despair, where meaning in life is simply whatever seems best to you, there is no real truth and no way to defend your beliefs. The ancient philosopher Socrates famously said, ‘the unconsidered life is not worth living’, and humanists follow this in attempting to forge a robust system of values in place of religion.
In the view of humanists, it is the mere fact of our existence that provides us with purpose. Our species is alone in being able to consider life, reflect on what we are doing and decide the values that we are going to live by. In a few decades, we will lose this ability when we die.
As for morality, humanist’s draw on human universals such as reason, and mutual empathy, that transcends cultures and religions. (This fact in itself should undermine religion’s claim to be the ultimate source of moral value) We can use our reasoning to extend our simple emotional rules and form a society with the goals of human welfare and flourishing.
