Terminology:
– The phrase “secular humanism” has evolved over time.
– Used since at least the 1930s by Anglican priests.
– In 1943, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, William Temple, warned about the undermining of Christian values by Secular Humanism.
– During the 1960s and 1970s, the term was embraced by some anti-religious humanists.
– The release of “A Secular Humanist Declaration” in 1980 gave the philosophy an organizational identity in the United States.
Beliefs and Principles:
– Secular humanism embraces human reason, logic, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism.
– Rejects religious dogma, supernaturalism, and superstition as the basis of morality.
– Posits that humans can be ethical and moral without religion or belief in a deity.
– Emphasizes the unique responsibility facing humanity and the ethical consequences of human decisions.
– Advocates for the continual search for truth through science and philosophy.
Humanists International:
– Founded by Julian Huxley and Jaap van Praag.
– World union of over one hundred humanist, rationalist, atheist, and secular organizations.
– Represents various humanist and freethought organizations in more than 40 countries.
– The Happy Human is recognized as the official symbol of humanism internationally.
– Member organizations use different terminologies, with some preferring simply “humanism.”
Criticism and Controversies:
– The term “secular humanism” is not universally used and is most prevalent in the United States.
– Some consider the term “secular” obfuscating and confusing.
– Secular humanism has been demonized by the religious right.
– The term has been criticized for becoming more about the adjective than its referent.
– Different organizations and individuals have varying perspectives on the use of the term.
Moral Codes and Ethics:
– Many secular humanists derive their moral codes from utilitarianism, ethical naturalism, or evolutionary ethics.
– Some advocate for a science of morality.
– The philosophy emphasizes the importance of examining ideologies thoroughly.
– Rejects the notion that humans are inherently good or evil.
– Focuses on the ethical consequences of human decisions and actions.
Secular humanism is a philosophy, belief system or life stance that embraces human reason, logic, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism, while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, and superstition as the basis of morality and decision making.
Secular humanism posits that human beings are capable of being ethical and moral without religion or belief in a deity. It does not, however, assume that humans are either inherently good or evil, nor does it present humans as being superior to nature. Rather, the humanist life stance emphasizes the unique responsibility facing humanity and the ethical consequences of human decisions. Fundamental to the concept of secular humanism is the strongly held viewpoint that ideology—be it religious or political—must be thoroughly examined by each individual and not simply accepted or rejected on faith. Along with this, an essential part of secular humanism is a continually adapting search for truth, primarily through science and philosophy. Many secular humanists derive their moral codes from a philosophy of utilitarianism, ethical naturalism, or evolutionary ethics, and some advocate a science of morality.
Humanists International, founded by Julian Huxley and Jaap van Praag, is the world union of more than one hundred humanist, rationalist, irreligious, atheist, Bright, secular, Ethical Culture, and freethought organizations in more than 40 countries. The "Happy Human" is recognized as the official symbol of humanism internationally, used by secular humanist organizations in every part of the world.
The term itself is not uncontested. "Secular humanism" is not a universally used phrase, and is most prevalent in the United States. Most member organisations of Humanists International, for example, use simply the term "humanism" to refer to this concept, with some commentators remarking that "'hyphenated humanism' easily becomes more about the adjective than its referent".
