This book is written to provide a quick overview of the philosophy of Humanism for the average Joe or Jane. I don't care which actually because I'm a Humanist and I don't judge people based on their gender or skin color or any other arbitrary characteristic. So, let's revise that introductory statement. This book is for the average human, regardless of his or her name, who wants to learn more about Humanism.
Humanism is one of the most influential and yet most maligned philosophies of all time. Unfortunately, most people don't know anything about it. To make matters worse, there are a lot of people who are already Humanists and just don't know it yet because no one has ever taken the time to properly introduce them to the philosophy.
I intend to change that with this book. Consider yourself introduced.
This book has sold over 3,600 copies since it's release and has been on amazon's best seller list in it's category without dropping off.
Chapter 2: What Is Humanism And Why Should I Care?
To put it simply, Humanism is one of the most powerful forces for positive social change on the planet. Some of the most famous and influential people in our society have been and continue to be Humanists. The Humanist philosophy provided the foundation for most of the social and civil justice movements of the past century as well as providing the philosophical foundation for democracy and science.
Quite literally, if it weren’t for Humanists, Europe would still be in the Dark Ages. America would probably have not been “discovered” by Europeans and everyone everywhere would still be trying to cook with fire. And no, I’m not exaggerating.
The modern world has been shaped and made possible by the dominance of Humanist ideas. Which is exactly why it’s so stunning that most people have no idea what it is.
So What Is Humanism?
One of the main reasons Humanism is so poorly understood is that it has no standard definition. Yet, it is instantly recognizable once you grasp its central ideas. It is a very simple philosophy that has some very profound implications for how you view your place in the universe. As one of my friends in Saudi Arabia once pointed out, it isn’t rocket science. If you spend just a little bit of time thinking about what morality and ethics mean to us as humans without the prescriptions of religion and divine revelation, Humanism is probably what you are going to come up with.
Defining Humanism
The American Humanist Association defines Humanism as “a progressive philosophy of life, that without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of Humanity.”
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