| "Humanism is a philosophy,
world view, or lifestance based on naturalism—the
conviction that the universe or nature is all that exists
or is real. Humanism serves, for many humanists, some of
the psychological and social functions of a religion, but
without belief in deities, transcendental entities, miracles,
life after death, and the supernatural.
Humanists seek to understand
the universe by using science and its methods of critical
inquiry—logical reasoning, empirical evidence, and
skeptical evaluation of conjectures and conclusions—to
obtain reliable knowledge. Humanists affirm that humans
have the freedom to give meaning, value, and purpose to
their lives by their own independent thought, free inquiry,
and responsible, creative activity. Humanists stand for
the building of a more humane, just, compassionate, and
democratic society using a pragmatic ethics based on human
reason, experience, and reliable knowledge—an ethics
that judges the consequences of human actions by the well-being
of all life on Earth."
- Steven
Schafersman |
