Secular humanism

Some people use reason to live well.

They do not use religion to make choices. Instead, they use science and logic. They think about what is fair. This helps them be good people.

They believe people can be kind without a god. They also want to learn the truth. They study how the world works. This is a way to live a good life.

Secular humanism is a way of thinking about life.

Many people follow this view. They use reason and logic to make choices. They do not use religion to decide what is right or wrong. Instead, they look to science and philosophy. They want to find the truth through study.

Humanists believe people can be good without a god. They do not think humans are always good or always evil. They believe we have a big responsibility for our actions. Each person should think for themselves. They should not just accept ideas on faith.

Some groups use the name Humanism instead of secular humanism. Humanists International is a large group for these thinkers. It has members in more than 40 countries. They use a symbol called the "Happy Human."

The ideas in this movement have deep roots. In the 1800s, George Holyoake used the word "secularism." He wanted to focus on life as we experience it. Other groups, like the Ethical movement, also helped. They believed morality could stand on its own. They wanted to help society through kindness and education.

Secular humanism is a way of thinking about life and morality.

It is a belief system that relies on human reason and logic. People who follow this path use science and philosophy to find the truth. They do not use religious rules or ideas about gods to make decisions. Instead, they focus on what can be proven through experience. This view says humans can be good people without needing a religion. It does not claim that people are always good or always bad. It simply says we have a big responsibility for the choices we make.

This way of thinking works by looking closely at every new idea. A humanist does not just accept a belief on faith. They believe every political or religious idea must be examined by the individual. Many followers get their sense of right and wrong from science. Some use ideas like evolutionary ethics or utilitarianism to guide them. These are ways of studying how humans act and live together. They want to understand morality as a natural part of being human. This search for truth is something that must keep changing as we learn more.

The history of these ideas goes back a long time. Some people link these thoughts to very old Greek philosophers. These thinkers lived before the time of Socrates. Later, scholars in Europe found these writings through Arabic translations. In the 1800s, a man named George Holyoake coined the term "secularism." He wanted to focus on questions that could be tested in this life. He helped start the first secular society in Leicester in 1851. Later, groups like the National Secular Society formed in 1866. These movements helped shape how people think about life without religion.

There are many groups that work together today. Humanists International is a large union for these organizations. It was started by Julian Huxley and Jaap van Praag. This group includes many different types of thinkers from more than 40 countries. They use a special symbol called the "Happy Human."

Some people prefer to just use the word "Humanism" instead of "secular humanism." The American Humanist Association began using this simpler name in 1973. In 1989, the IHEU also began to support this way of naming things. In 2002, they even adopted the Amsterdam Declaration to define their identity.

Many different movements helped build these ideas. The Ethical movement was very important in the 1800s. In America, Felix Adler started the New York Society for Ethical Culture in 1877. These societies believed that being good is separate from religious rules. They wanted to help society through kindness and teaching young people.

Another group was called the Positivists, led by people like Richard Congreve. They even had a "Church of Humanity" in England. These groups all shared a goal of using reason to improve the world. They wanted to create a community based on shared human values.

Secular humanism is a philosophical life stance centered on human reason and logic.

It emphasizes secular ethics and philosophical naturalism as the primary tools for understanding the world. This belief system specifically rejects religious dogma, supernaturalism, and superstition as the basis for morality or decision-making. Followers believe that humans are capable of being ethical and moral without a deity. However, the philosophy does not claim that humans are inherently good or evil. It also does not view humans as superior to the natural world. Instead, it focuses on the unique responsibility that humanity holds regarding the consequences of its decisions.

The mechanism of secular humanism relies on a continuous, adapting search for truth. This search is conducted primarily through the lenses of science and philosophy. Rather than accepting ideologies on faith, humanists believe every political or religious idea must be thoroughly examined by the individual. Many adherents derive their moral codes from specific frameworks. These include utilitarianism, ethical naturalism, or evolutionary ethics. Some even advocate for a formal science of morality. This approach seeks to understand how human behavior and social structures can be improved through evidence and rational thought.

There are several distinct traditions and terms that have shaped this movement. The term "secular humanism" is most common in the United States. In many European, African, and Asian countries, people simply use the term "humanism." Some thinkers argue that adding the word "secular" is confusing or unnecessary. They believe it can reduce a complex philosophy to a sterile academic outlook. Because of this, organizations like Humanists International prefer the capitalized term "Humanism." This shift was supported by the American Humanist Association in 1973 and formally endorsed by the IHEU in 1989. In 2002, the Amsterdam Declaration was adopted to provide a unified identity for World Humanism.

The history of these ideas reaches back to pre-Socratic philosophers. These ancient Greek thinkers wrote about the world before the era of Socrates. Their works were lost to Europe until Renaissance scholars rediscovered them through Muslim sources. These scholars translated the texts from Arabic into European languages. This historical connection distinguishes Renaissance humanists from the explicitly non-religious secular humanists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The term "humanism" did not enter the English language until the 19th century to mark this distinction.

Significant developments occurred during the 19th century through various movements. George Holyoake coined the term "secularism" in 1851 to describe opinions tested by life experience.

He led a movement that resulted in the Leicester Secular Society and later the National Secular Society in 1866. Another influence was Auguste Comte and his theory of positivism. Comte believed history moved through a "law of three stages" toward a rational, positivist society. This influenced Richard Congreve, who founded the London Positivist Society in 1867. They even established a "Church of Humanity" in 1878, which included sacraments and sermons.

The ethical movement served as another important precursor to modern humanism. In 1793, the South Place Ethical Society was founded in London.

It later became the Conway Hall Ethical Society and remains a landmark of intellectual life. In the United States, Felix Adler established the New York Society for Ethical Culture in 1877. By 1886, similar societies existed in Philadelphia, Chicago, and St. Louis. These groups believed morality was independent of theology. They focused on philanthropy, social reform, and the importance of educating the young.

Today, secular humanism is represented by a global network of organizations. Humanists International is a major world union for these groups.

It was founded by Julian Huxley and Jaap van Praag. The union includes more than one hundred organizations across more than 40 countries. These include rationalist, atheist, and freethought groups. The "Happy Human" is recognized as the official international symbol for humanism.

This global presence shows how the movement connects diverse groups through a shared commitment to reason and human responsibility.