Download What is Humanism

RMPS National Qualifications
Morality and Belief:
Religion and Relationships
Humanist Morality
What is Humanism?
• Humanism is an approach to life based on
humanity and reason.
• Humanists do not believe in God.
• Humanists believe that moral values are
properly based on human nature and
experience alone, and that decisions should
be based on evidence.
• They say concern for others does not need to
be sanctioned by an external source, like a
religion.
Humanism and Religion
• Unlike religious people, Humanists do not believe in
a life after death that might compensate for earthly
suffering by rewarding the good and punishing the
bad.
• Humanists do not believe in god-given codes or
values, and they base their lives on guiding
principles, not dogmatic rules.
Humanist Beliefs
Humanists believe that…
• we can live good lives without religious or
superstitious beliefs
• we only have one life and should make the best
of it, creating meaning and purpose for ourselves
and making sense of the world using reason,
experience and shared human values
• we should try to live happy and fulfilled lives and
help others to do so.
Humanist Beliefs
Humanists believe that…
• the way to achieve this is to live responsibly,
thinking rationally about right and wrong, and
considering the consequences of our actions
trying to do the right thing
• Thus, Humanism is an ethical worldview, not just
an atheistic or agnostic one.
• It can be summed up in the ‘golden rule’…
"Treat other people in a way you would like to be
treated yourself "
Humanist Morality
• Often humanist perspectives on
moral issues are not very different
from those of liberally-minded
religious people.
• However, a humanist view is
explicitly based on reason,
experience, empathy and
respect for others, rather than
tradition or deference to authority,
which often influence religious
views.
Humanist Morality
• Humanists value happiness, freedom and
justice, and want to increase these and to leave
the world a better place.
• But while they value individual choice and
freedom, an excess of individual choices can
have effects on society and cause unintended
problems e.g choosing the gender of a child.
• Thus humanists do not believe that moral
principles are simply matters of personal
preference or that they can vary much from
place to place or time to time - humanists are not
relativists.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
s_____ humanity and r_____. Humanists do not
believe in ___. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an ________ source,
like a ________. Humanist morals are based in
reason, __________, _______ and _______ for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
external
experience tradition God
authority
reason religion shared
empathy
respect
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and r_____. Humanists do not
believe in ___. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an ________ source,
like a ________. Humanist morals are based in
reason, __________, _______ and _______ for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in ___. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an ________ source,
like a ________. Humanist morals are based in
reason, __________, _______ and _______ for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in God. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an ________ source,
like a ________. Humanist morals are based in
reason, __________, _______ and _______ for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in God. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an external source,
like a ________. Humanist morals are based in
reason, __________, _______ and _______ for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in God. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an external source,
like a religion. Humanist morals are based in
reason, __________, _______ and _______ for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in God. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an external source,
like a religion. Humanist morals are based in
reason, experience, _______ and _______ for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in God. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an external source,
like a religion. Humanist morals are based in
reason, experience, empathy and _______ for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in God. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an external source,
like a religion. Humanist morals are based in
reason, experience, empathy and respect for
others, rather than _______ or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in God. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an external source,
like a religion. Humanist morals are based in
reason, experience, empathy and respect for
others, rather than tradition or religious _______.
Humanism Tasks
1. COPY and COMPLETE
Humanism is an approach to life based on our
shared humanity and reason. Humanists do not
believe in God. They say concern for others does
not need to be sanctioned by an external source,
like a religion. Humanist morals are based in
reason, experience, empathy and respect for
others, rather than tradition or religious authority.
Humanism Tasks
2. How do Humanists respond to the question of
life after death? 2
3. How does this affect their view of what life is
about? 4
4. How might a Humanist summarize their
approach to morality? 2
5. What do Humanists think about freedom and
choice in relation to morality? 4
6. In what ways is Humanism…
a) similar to religious morality? 3
b) different to religious morality? 3