Humanism is a broad philosophical movement that explores different aspects of the human experience. It’s also a philosophy that embraces relativism in the sense that truth, morality and knowledge are subjective and vary according to culture.
It’s a philosophy that promotes education and critical thinking. It supports secularism and believes that the foundation of morality is human well-being and happiness.
The Renaissance
The philosophy of Humanism ignited people's curiosity and desire for knowledge, which resulted in the Renaissance. Humanists believed that humans should be educated in classic Greek and Roman art, literature, and philosophy. They also believed that God gave humans great potential, so it was up to each person to make the most of it. Humanists wanted to live a fulfilling life and believed that they should do so free of religious influence.
The movement also revived classical ideas that had been lost over the centuries. These ideas had a major impact on Renaissance art, literature, and science. Many Renaissance authors wrote of the value of education and emphasized that it is key to ethical living and enlightened governance. Additionally, Renaissance authors integrated classical mythology with Biblical narratives to create rich, multi-layered stories that connected Renaissance audiences to a broader cultural tradition.
Humanism changed the way writers approached characters and themes. It shifted the literary focus from divine intervention to human choice and from moral black-and-white to complex ethical dilemmas. For example, Shakespeare's Othello was both a loving husband and jealous man, and humanism allowed writers to present this character's flaws as part of his humanity instead of making him an unredeemable villain.
Renaissance artists, like Botticelli and Michelangelo, incorporated Humanist ideas into their works. Their works showed a greater emphasis on the human body, realistic portrayals of real people, and detailed textures and lighting. They also used humanistic research techniques, such as diary accounts, open-ended questionnaires, and unstructured interviews to learn more about people's thoughts and feelings.
These new ideas created a sense of independence and self-sufficiency in individuals. Many scholars and philosophers began to think for themselves without the influence of religious belief or political ideology. This led to a separation between church and state and the rise of a scientific methodology that included critical examination of books.
Humanism does not address ultimate questions, such as the origin and destiny of the universe, but it leaves room for reasonable speculation on these issues. It also allows for the possibility of a soul and an afterlife. Although Humanism does not require a belief in God, it still encourages people to be good citizens and stewards of the planet.
The Enlightenment
In this era, the philosophy of Humanism emerged as a secular alternative to religious belief and traditional social systems. The humanistic movement is characterized by its rejection of supernatural explanations for natural events, and the use of reason rather than faith to find truth. Many humanists support equality and civil rights, as well as free speech and progressive policies. They also maintain that religion is not a precondition for morality, and object to excessive religious entanglement in education and the state.
The term “humanism” is used to refer to a number of philosophical movements. These include Renaissance humanism, the pragmatic humanism of Ferdinand Canning Scott Schiller and Christian humanism of Jacques Maritain. These philosophical approaches differ from each other, but they all share a similar emphasis on the centrality of human experience.
Renaissance humanism was a reaction to the rigid Catholic scholasticism that dominated the universities of Italy and Oxford and Paris and emphasized the study of grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy based on classical Roman and Greek texts. It was the era that produced the great artists of Europe. It was also the era that introduced a new era of scientific discovery, including the scientific advancements of Francis Bacon, Nicolaus Copernicus, and Galileo, as well as the mathematical investigations of René Descartes, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and Isaac Newton.
Humanists believe that mankind’s existence on this Earth is wondrous and precious, offering unlimited opportunities for exploration, fascination, creativity, companionship, and joy. They also accept that science cannot and probably will never be able to explain the origin of this universe, or its ultimate destiny. Nevertheless, it leaves room for reasonable people to hypothesize about the possibility of a life beyond this Earth, and two of the most celebrated humanists of all time, Thomas Paine and Robert Ingersoll, maintained that hope is an important part of happiness.
Those who practice humanism believe that the best way to achieve true happiness is through service to humanity. They believe that this is a more productive and satisfying path than seeking material or sensual pleasures that quickly fade. Although service to humanity is a key aspect of humanism, recreation and rest are also important for long-term health and happiness.
The Age of Reason
The Renaissance saw a renewed interest in classical history, literature, and art with a focus on what it meant to be human. Among other things, it fueled the intellectual movement known as Humanism, with its emphasis on learning for its own sake and without religious motivation. This philosophy, which emphasized the importance of studying subjects such as philosophy, history, and literature in order to gain valuable practical knowledge that could help one succeed in life, has never really gone away. It has simply evolved into what we now call the humanities, and they remain major subjects studied in college and university programs all over the world.
The humanistic ideal was that people can find meaning in their lives and maximize their long-term happiness by using their talents to serve others. This service can take many forms, from donating blood to volunteering at a homeless shelter. Unlike hedonistic pursuits of material or sensual pleasures that soon fade, this type of purpose-driven activity offers more satisfaction over the long haul.
It also emphasizes that values should be derived from human culture and experience rather than from supernatural sources. This is not to deny the existence of any realities that may be as yet undiscovered, but it argues that any religion must formulate its hopes and plans through intelligent inquiry and by its assessment of their relationship to human needs.
Humanists also emphasized the need to study the world around them by means of free inquiry, which is the basis for science. In fact, the humanist idea helped give rise to modern secularism and its support of separation of church and state.
It also led to a rejection of traditional religious teachings that had been based on faith and tradition and instead embraced rationality, scientific research, and a skepticism toward the supernatural. It is in this spirit that many humanists have sought to build a more just, peaceful, and compassionate society through pragmatic ethics rooted in reason and reliable knowledge, not superstition and dogma. These principles also support human rights, the extension of participatory democracy, and a commitment to environmental responsibility.
The Age of Faith
The scholarly movement of Humanism was born during the Renaissance, but its roots go back much further. Classical literature, rediscovered through a flood of newly translated manuscripts, was the wellspring of Renaissance Humanism. The works of Greek and Roman philosophers, historians, and poets took on a new life, and Humanists viewed them as models for proper methods of study and communication.
The Renaissance was the beginning of a long period of expansion and growth for Western civilization, and Humanism's impact went far beyond just education or the arts. It brought about the separation of church and state, the separation of scientific inquiry from its religious context, the study of grammar and textual history that led to accurate translations of ancient authors, and even the creation of public libraries.
Humanism emphasizes the dignity and worth of the individual. It also promotes the development and self-reliance of humans. Its ethics are based on the principle that humans are fundamentally different from animals, and that they should be treated with respect and care, and it believes that morality is intrinsic to humanity. Humanism also rejects absolute moralities based on religion and instead relies on a pragmatic approach that evaluates the consequences of actions to decide what is right or wrong.
Because Humanism is not a religion, it does not have a set creed or dogma and can include individuals of all faiths as well as those who are atheists and agnostics. In the same way, Humanism leaves room for a range of philosophical views on ultimate questions like the origins and destiny of the universe.
Humanism tends to reject scientific methodologies that are based on experimentation, and instead favors qualitative research methods such as diary accounts, unstructured interviews, observations, and focus groups. It is an optimistic philosophy that looks at humans as sentient, rational, and intelligent beings who have the power to elevate themselves. It also holds that humans are capable of developing their own spirituality based on their experiences, beliefs, and feelings, and that they should be free to express their uniqueness. In this way, Humanism is similar to the philosophical movement of Empathy, which emphasizes open-mindedness and understanding of people who are different from us.
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