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Eight key principles of humanism



By Karl Singarvelan Raha


Karl is our India correspondent. He has a keen interest in politics, philosophy and the history of humanism.









There can be quite a bit of confusion regarding the terms ‘humanity’ and ‘humanism.’ Some might consider them to be the same, but there's a huge difference, as big as the difference between, say, ‘England’ and ‘New England’.


Before delving into ‘humanism’, let's define ‘humanity’. In addition to being a collective noun for the sum total of human beings, the word ‘humanity’ also refers to the quality of being humane, which encompasses showing empathy, love, and compassion towards others, a quality which may be found in both believers and non-believers. ‘Humanism’, on the other hand, has a more philosophical definition as a worldview or path. According to Humanists International, ‘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.’ Humanism is always a free choice in the sense that everyone is free to join. Humanism treats everyone the same irrespective of their age, gender, economic status, caste, educational background, or any other characteristic.


Eight key principles of humanism

I've identified eight key elements or principles of humanism that make it a distinct worldview or path:

  1. Reason and science: Humanists always try to follow reason and scientific method in their understanding of reality. Humanists try to think and then rethink when observing and trying to understand any phenomenon. For example, that the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west was long taken as evidence that the Sun revolves around the Earth. Scientifically speaking, we now know that this is utterly wrong! But throughout human history, this intuitive picture of the world was accepted as a statement of fact. A few hundred years ago, scientists were able to give us a more truthful account of the solar system, teaching us that the Earth revolves around the Sun. It is the Earth rotating on its axis which gives rise to the appearance of the sun moving across our sky. Similarly, evolution has given rise to the appearance of design, whereas we know scientifically that evolution is an unguided process of genetic mutation and natural selection. So humanists do not believe in creationism. Humanists do not accept anything blindly; they question, discuss, and read more about every topic under consideration. This approach we call critical thinking, and humanists always endeavour to prioritise facts over emotions.

  2. Atheism and agnosticism: Humanists are non-religious people, and this includes atheists, agnostics, anti-theists, and anyone who rejects belief in sacred scriptures and religious doctrines. Humanists do not believe in heaven, hell, sin, angels, demons, reincarnation, priests, or prayers.

  3. Equality: Humanists consider all human beings to be fundamentally equal. Hierarchies and artificial divisions are rejected. In humanism there is no essential difference between black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, female and male and so on.

  4. Moral autonomy: Humanism promotes the ideal of moral autonomy and individual conscience, claiming that humans can clearly distinguish between right and wrong without the need for divine guidance or religious doctrines.

  5. Meaning of life: Humanists believe that the meaning of life does not come from God or religious stories. The meaning of life is derived from each individual’s goals and relationships.

  6. Universal ethics: Humanism promotes moral universalism and utilitarianism, whereby we judge the rightness or wrongness of an action by its consequences. This theory of morality allows for the evolution of moral insight rather than rigid and unchanging moral codes which often derive social norms from ancient times as if they are still relevant to the present. Humanists try to follow a moral code which results in sharing, happiness, and love.

  7. One life: Humanists believe that we have only one life, and we have to seek fulfilment in this world.

  8. Secular democracy: Humanists believe in secular democracy, and they accept the existence of a political spectrum from left to right. Humanists may have different views but they can be united under the umbrella of humanism in seeking the common good.


Is humanism a cult?

Sometimes, opponents of humanism claim that it is a cult. The word ‘cult’ has come to refer to a group or movement with extreme beliefs and practices, often centred around a charismatic leader. Cults typically exhibit high levels of control over members and demand intense loyalty, sometimes leading to harmful or manipulative behaviour. Humanism is nothing like this. Humanism does not have a central authority or a single, rigidly-defined philosophy. There are millions of humanists and many different shades of what is meant by the word ‘humanism’, although the eight principles I have outlined above are likely to feature in most forms of modern humanism. There can be socialist humanists, green humanists, conservative humanists, and many more but they all come under the wide umbrella of humanism. Humanism is an enriching and guiding philosophy. It does not make individual humanists slaves to a narrowly-defined philosophy or hierarchical authority.


According to data from the Pew Research Center, non-religious people, often referred to as religious ‘nones’, rank among the largest groups in global religious statistics. As of 2015, they comprised about 16% of the global population, making them the third-largest group after Christians and Muslims. However, it's important to note that their proportion of the global population is projected to decrease slightly to 13% by 2060, even though their absolute numbers will increase modestly. This trend highlights that, while the number of non-religious people is growing in some regions, especially in Europe and North America, their share of the population is expected to decline due to demographic factors such as lower birth rates compared to religious groups.

 

Many parts of the world still suffer under the weight of religious dogma. Humanism offers a cure, providing a path to enlightenment and empowerment. By embracing humanism, we can counteract the forces of religious dogmatism, inspiring both ourselves and others.


For a happier and more fulfilling life, embrace humanism!


Sources and further reading


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