Humanists

What do we mean by humanists?

A scholar of one of the subjects in the humanities.

A person who believes in the philosophy of humanism.

In the Renaissance, a scholar of Greek and Roman classics.

Someone who is explicitly concerned about the welfare and morality of other humans. Generally, humanists are not religious and do not believe in the fictitious teachings of any supposed deity. In this way humanists are commonly atheists and find fulfillment through analytical reasoning and scientific methods. Humanists are thus commonly evolutionists. Urban Dictionary

A person who doesn't believe in a religion but instead in the welfare of humans and other living beings. Most humanists will choose a wedding or funeral without biblical readings and hymns. Urban Dictionary

The irreligious belief that works like a religion without a god but is instead focused on the present welfare of other people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity,culture or any other calharacteristic creating any group of people Most humanists are usually people who are atheists but can also be religious Christian dinner: " thanks god for my food *so on so fourth* amen" Humanist dinner: (in mind) "man the farmer must have worked hard for this produce we must be very grateful Urban Dictionary

Follower of the belief system of humanism, the religion of the politically correct world. It is understood that no one can tell another human that they are wrong for what they think and feel. Urban Dictionary

Years ago, moronic atheists finally came to the conclusion that everybody hates them. So they made another attempt to relabel themselves hoping that people would overlook their unjustified sense of self-superiority, moral cowardice, and complete irrational garbage. Urban Dictionary

A stupid word that was told to us during our religion class. has no actual meaning and isn't relevant to life. Urban Dictionary

Secular Humanism is a term which has come into use in the last thirty years to describe a world view with the following elements and principles: A conviction that dogmas, ideologies and traditions, whether religious, political or social, must be weighed and tested by each individual and not simply accepted on faith. Commitment to the use of critical reason, factual evidence, and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith and mysticism, in seeking solutions to human problems and answers to important human questions. A primary concern with fulfillment, growth, and creativity for both the individual and humankind in general. A constant search for objective truth, with the understanding that new knowledge and experience constantly alter our imperfect perception of it. A concern for this life and a commitment to making it meaningful through better understanding of ourselves, our history, our intellectual and artistic achievements, and the outlooks of those who differ from us. A search for viable individual, social and political principles of ethical conduct, judging them on their ability to enhance human well-being and individual responsibility. A conviction that with reason, an open marketplace of ideas, good will, and tolerance, progress can be made in building a better world for ourselves and our children. --------------------- How Do Secular Humanists View Religious and Supernatural Claims? Secular humanists accept a world view or philosophy called naturalism, in which the physical laws of the universe are not superseded by non-material or supernatural entities such as demons, gods, or other "spiritual" beings outside the realm of the natural universe. Supernatural events such as miracles (in which physical laws are defied) and psi phenomena, such as ESP, telekinesis, etc., are not dismissed out of hand, but are viewed with a high degree of skepticism. --------------------------------- Are Secular Humanists Atheists? Secular humanists are generally nontheists. They typically describe themselves as nonreligious. They hail from widely divergent philosophical and religious backgrounds. Thus, secular humanists do not rely upon gods or other supernatural forces to solve their problems or provide guidance for their conduct. They rely instead upon the application of reason, the lessons of history, and personal experience to form an ethical/moral foundation and to create meaning in life. Secular humanists look to the methodology of science as the most reliable source of information about what is factual or true about the universe we all share, acknowledging that new discoveries will always alter and expand our understanding of it and perhaps change our approach to ethical issues as well. In any case their cosmic outlook draws primarily from human experiences and scientific knowledge. ------------------- What Is The Origin of Secular Humanism? Secular humanism as an organized philosophical system is relatively new, but its foundations can be found in the ideas of classical Greek philosophers such as the Stoics and Epicureans as well as in Chinese Confucianism. These philosophical views looked to human beings rather than gods to solve human problems. During the Dark Ages of Western Europe, humanist philosophies were suppressed by the political power of the church. Those who dared to express views in opposition to the prevailing religious dogmas were banished, tortured or executed. Not until the Renaissance of the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries, with the flourishing of art, music, literature, philosophy and exploration, would consideration of the humanist alternative to a god-centered existence be permitted. During the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century, with the development of science, philosophers finally began to openly criticize the authority of the church and engage in what became known as "free thought." The nineteenth century Freethought movement of America and Western Europe finally made it possible for the common citizen to reject blind faith and superstition without the risk of persecution. The influence of science and technology, together with the challenges to religious orthodoxy by such celebrity freethinkers as Mark Twain and Robert G. Ingersoll brought elements of humanist philosophy even to mainline Christian churches, which became more concerned with this world, less with the next. In the twentieth century scientists, philosophers, and progressive theologians began to organize in an effort to promote the humanist alternative to traditional faith-based world views. These early organizers classified humanism as a non-theistic religion which would fulfill the human need for an ordered ethical/philosophical system to guide one's life, a "spirituality" without the supernatural. In the last thirty years, those who reject supernaturalism as a viable philosophical outlook have adopted the term "secular humanism" to describe their non-religious life stance. Critics often try to classify secular humanism as a religion. Yet secular humanism lacks essential characteristics of a religion, including belief in a deity and an accompanying transcendent order. Secular humanists contend that issues concerning ethics, appropriate social and legal conduct, and the methodologies of science are philosophical and are not part of the domain of religion, which deals with the supernatural, mystical and transcendent. ---------------------- Secular humanism, then, is a philosophy and world view which centers upon human concerns and employs rational and scientific methods to address the wide range of issues important to us all. While secular humanism is at odds with faith-based religious systems on many issues, it is dedicated to the fulfillment of the individual and humankind in general. To accomplish this end, secular humanism encourages a commitment to a set of principles which promote the development of tolerance and compassion and an understanding of the methods of science, critical analysis, and philosophical reflection. Urban Dictionary

Secular Humanism is a term which has come into use in the last thirty years to describe a world view with the following elements and principles: A conviction that dogmas, ideologies and traditions, whether religious, political or social, must be weighed and tested by each individual and not simply accepted on faith. Commitment to the use of critical reason, factual evidence, and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith and mysticism, in seeking solutions to human problems and answers to important human questions. A primary concern with fulfillment, growth, and creativity for both the individual and humankind in general. A constant search for objective truth, with the understanding that new knowledge and experience constantly alter our imperfect perception of it. A concern for this life and a commitment to making it meaningful through better understanding of ourselves, our history, our intellectual and artistic achievements, and the outlooks of those who differ from us. A search for viable individual, social and political principles of ethical conduct, judging them on their ability to enhance human well-being and individual responsibility. A conviction that with reason, an open marketplace of ideas, good will, and tolerance, progress can be made in building a better world for ourselves and our children. --------------------- How Do Secular Humanists View Religious and Supernatural Claims? Secular humanists accept a world view or philosophy called naturalism, in which the physical laws of the universe are not superseded by non-material or supernatural entities such as demons, gods, or other "spiritual" beings outside the realm of the natural universe. Supernatural events such as miracles (in which physical laws are defied) and psi phenomena, such as ESP, telekinesis, etc., are not dismissed out of hand, but are viewed with a high degree of skepticism. --------------------------------- Are Secular Humanists Atheists? Secular humanists are generally nontheists. They typically describe themselves as nonreligious. They hail from widely divergent philosophical and religious backgrounds. Thus, secular humanists do not rely upon gods or other supernatural forces to solve their problems or provide guidance for their conduct. They rely instead upon the application of reason, the lessons of history, and personal experience to form an ethical/moral foundation and to create meaning in life. Secular humanists look to the methodology of science as the most reliable source of information about what is factual or true about the universe we all share, acknowledging that new discoveries will always alter and expand our understanding of it and perhaps change our approach to ethical issues as well. In any case their cosmic outlook draws primarily from human experiences and scientific knowledge. ------------------- What Is The Origin of Secular Humanism? Secular humanism as an organized philosophical system is relatively new, but its foundations can be found in the ideas of classical Greek philosophers such as the Stoics and Epicureans as well as in Chinese Confucianism. These philosophical views looked to human beings rather than gods to solve human problems. During the Dark Ages of Western Europe, humanist philosophies were suppressed by the political power of the church. Those who dared to express views in opposition to the prevailing religious dogmas were banished, tortured or executed. Not until the Renaissance of the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries, with the flourishing of art, music, literature, philosophy and exploration, would consideration of the humanist alternative to a god-centered existence be permitted. During the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century, with the development of science, philosophers finally began to openly criticize the authority of the church and engage in what became known as "free thought." The nineteenth century Freethought movement of America and Western Europe finally made it possible for the common citizen to reject blind faith and superstition without the risk of persecution. The influence of science and technology, together with the challenges to religious orthodoxy by such celebrity freethinkers as Mark Twain and Robert G. Ingersoll brought elements of humanist philosophy even to mainline Christian churches, which became more concerned with this world, less with the next. In the twentieth century scientists, philosophers, and progressive theologians began to organize in an effort to promote the humanist alternative to traditional faith-based world views. These early organizers classified humanism as a non-theistic religion which would fulfill the human need for an ordered ethical/philosophical system to guide one's life, a "spirituality" without the supernatural. In the last thirty years, those who reject supernaturalism as a viable philosophical outlook have adopted the term "secular humanism" to describe their non-religious life stance. Critics often try to classify secular humanism as a religion. Yet secular humanism lacks essential characteristics of a religion, including belief in a deity and an accompanying transcendent order. Secular humanists contend that issues concerning ethics, appropriate social and legal conduct, and the methodologies of science are philosophical and are not part of the domain of religion, which deals with the supernatural, mystical and transcendent. ---------------------- Secular humanism, then, is a philosophy and world view which centers upon human concerns and employs rational and scientific methods to address the wide range of issues important to us all. While secular humanism is at odds with faith-based religious systems on many issues, it is dedicated to the fulfillment of the individual and humankind in general. To accomplish this end, secular humanism encourages a commitment to a set of principles which promote the development of tolerance and compassion and an understanding of the methods of science, critical analysis, and philosophical reflection. Urban Dictionary

Noun an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to equality among all races, religions and economic standing rather than religious ideology or political and financial gain . Political humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasise common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems. Urban Dictionary

A person who believes that religion should be disregarded pertaining to matters of the state or nation. Secular humanists may not necessarily be atheists or free-thinkers, and may even be religious or spiritual. Instead of living to please supernatural beings, secular humanists prioritize the well-being of humans, and some others are also concerned with animals and the environment. Most secular humanists don't rely on faith, myth or superstition to guide decision-making, but instead use reason and science. Urban Dictionary

Words that are spelled similarly to humanists:
humanists, humanist, humanises, humanity, humanism, humanistic, humanise, humanics, humorists, humanitas, humanest, humanised, lutanists, romanists, humanizes, humanisme, shamanists.

Adjectives that are often used to describe humanists:
italian, other, many, secular, early, christian, german, great, most, english, century, northern, liberal, earlier, modern, french, florentine, religious, civic, contemporary, later, radical, classical, famous, scientific, academic, european, distinguished, literary, greatest, prominent, professional, roman, spanish, anti, younger, learned, western, marxist, called, earliest, traditional, older, fellow, socialist, eminent, outstanding, erasmian, rational, biblical, atheistic, protestant, neo, dutch, minded, bourgeois, continental, organizational, fifteenth, foremost, naturalistic, known, musical, devout, ethical, conservative, catholic, hispanic, venetian, influential, medieval, genuine.

Words that sound like humanists:
humanists, humanist, humanistic, human rights, humorists, humanity, humanized, humanoids, human waste, humanised, humanus, humanise, humanitas, humanities, humanism, humanoid, humanize, humorist, human race, humanness, human right, human face, human foot, human heart, human hands.