What is Humanism?
This question is one that all of us must ask in order to determine if we will feel comfortable identifying as a Humanist, and at home in a Humanist organization. There are many ways to answer, and not all of us agree about every detail. Some of the best summaries we have found are reprinted here, courtesy of the Council for Secular Humanism and the American Humanist Association.
Secular Humanist Declaration (CSH, 1980)
Affirmations of Humanism (CSH)
Humanist Manifesto I (AHA, 1933)
Humanist Manifesto II (AHA, 1973)
Humanist Manifesto III (AHA, 2003)
Humanist Manifesto 2000 (CSH, 2000)
Humanism with a Capital H
Humanist Declaration on the Preservation of Families
Declaration of interdependence: a new global ethics (IHEU, 1988)
Amsterdam Declaration 2002 (on Humanism) (IHEU, 2002)
The list above is by no means exhaustive. Below are links to many other expressions of humanist thought and ethics. Each will open in a separate window.
The Life of Courage by Sherwin Wine. Keynote Address at HumanLight's New Jersey Celebration in 2003.
The Humanist Philosophy in Perspective
The Promise of Humanism
Positive Humanism
Life is to be Lived Now
Humanism Unmodified
Ancient Stoicism and Rational Psychology: Humanistic Ways to Mental Health
Humanism as the Next Step
The Genesis of a Humanist Manifesto
What is Secular Humanism?
Thou shalt not command non-Christians by Harley Brown
The ethics of Humanism without religion
9/11/02
The Evolution of Thought
Why do Conservative Christians hate the Constitution?
10 Myths About Secular Humanism
Religious and Secular Humanism - What's the Difference?
Personal Paths to Humanism
Humanism and the UN - A Shared Future?
Why Humanism is Important to Today's Political Discourse
Does Secular Humanism Equip Us To Deal With Death?
The Humanist Touch
Church and State: A Humanist View
The Law and Secular Humanism
The Secular Humanist Prospect: In Historical Perspective
The Challenge of African Humanism
Humanism and Secular Humanism - Wikipedia
Many informative articles can be found in Essays and Reports from a Humanist Perspective.
An excellent site with the complete text of books and articles online is:
A Guide to Humanist Literature - hosted by Humani: The Humanist Association of Northern Ireland
The full text of Corliss Lamont's Philosophy of Humanism.
Something that usually accompanies interest in Humanism is interest in atheism. Some excellent websites about atheism: