Secular humanism is an ideology that views rationality as paramount to the practical advancement of humanist principles, while viewing religion as irrational, and therefore not suited for the humanist view of an ethical life.

The term "secular humanism" was coined to distinguish its ideology as separate from the more inclusive humanism, and this distinction typically appeals to atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, rationalists, skeptics, and materialists.

While the term "secularism" does not itself denote a non-religious view but rather a separation of religious matters from matters of governance, secular humanists often consider religion as a symptom of irrationality and therefore barring to any association with mainstream secular humanism.

Secular humanism may be described as beholden to the following principles:

• Humans matter and can solve human problems.
• Science, free speech, rational thought, democracy and freedom in the arts go together.
• There is nothing supernatural
  • or, religious belief should not impose divisions or constraints upon matters of common principle

History

Secular humanism became prominent in the 1970s, and the term was coined to describe a secular branch of humanism that attempts to avoid the dogma inherent in faith-based initiatives , such as traditional religion. Secular humanism is based on the idea that dogmas and ideologies whether religious, political or social, must be analyzed and tested by each individual and not simply believed without question. Secular humanists may be atheists who reject all supernaturalism or anti-dogmatists who see existing localized religions as divisive rather than inclusive and antithetical to the core principles embodied in humanism. Secular humanism, like humanism in general, emphasizes the use of critical reason, factual evidence, and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith and mysticism, in seeking solutions to human issues and answers to human questions.

Secular humanists affirm the possibility of an objective truth and accept that human perception of that truth is imperfect.

Secularists may or may not be opposed to religion, but secular humanism as a social movement is especially concerned with religious law, whereby a strict doctrine conflicts with religious freedom. Regarding politics, secular humanism advocates separation of government from influence of religion in order to facilitate adoption and application of secularist rules.

There are ten Humanist Manifestos and Declarations:

• Humanist Manifesto I (1933)
• Humanist Manifesto II (1973)
• A Secular Humanist Declaration (1980)
• A Declaration of Interdependence (1988)
• IHEU Minimum Statement on Humanism (1996)
• HUMANISM: Why, What, and What For, In 882 Words (1996)
• Humanist Manifesto 2000: A Call for a New Planetary Humanism (2000) condensed version
• The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles
• Amsterdam Declaration (July 2002)
• Humanist Manifesto III (Humanism And Its Aspirations) (2003)

Notable secular humanists

The individuals who previously and/or currently promote secular humanism includes notable figures such as Dr. Paul Kurtz, Steve Allen, Dr. Corliss Lamont [1], and Gene Roddenberry.

Debate

Secular humanism often conflicts with religious fundamentalism, especially over the issue of state involvement in religion. Corliss Lamont is the author of The Philosophy of Humanism, "...a work that has become a standard text and reference in the ongoing debate that swirls around secular humanism..." (The New York Times). One issue in particular, state funding (and thereby de-facto control) of institutions such as schools, managed by churches and other religious organisations, excites continual debate and controversy world-wide.

See also

Humanist and Related Organizations

• American Atheists
• American Humanist Association
• Camp Quest
• Campus Atheists and Secular Humanists
• Campus Freethought Alliance
• Center for Inquiry
• Church of Life
• Coalition for the Community of Reason
• Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
• Council for Secular Humanism (formerly CODESH)
• Freedom From Religion Foundation
• Godless Americans PAC (political action committee)
• Institute for Humanist Studies
• Internet Infidels
• Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers
• National Center for Science Education
• Quackwatch
• Scouting for All
• Skeptics Society
• Secular Student Alliance
• Secular Web
• World Transhumanist Association

Related Philosophies

• Empiricism
• Epicureanism
• Extropianism
• Freethought
• Humanism
• Naturalism
• Rationalism
• Religious humanism
• Transhumanism

External links

• British Humanist Association
• Council for Secular Humanism (formerly CODESH)
  • "What is secular humanism?" Introduction from the publishers of Free Inquiry magazine
• The American Humanist Association
  • The Humanist (magazine)
• The Humanist Association of Canada
  • Humanist in Canada (magazine)
• International Humanist and Ethical Union
  • International Humanist News is also available at www.iheu.org.
• The Institute for Humanist Studies
• 10 Points of Humanism: A Definition from The Philosophy of Humanism by Corliss Lamont
• The History and Philosophy of Humanism - Speech given by Steven D. Schafersman in Oxford, Ohio (September 24, 1995)
• Site of the Romanian association Solidarity for Freedom of Conscience - Romanian/ English
• Nanovirus: a humanist perspective on technology, politics and culture