Humanism

Humanism emphasizes the dignity of man and the use of human reason, with focus on the "here and now" rather than on an afterlife. It has its roots in the work of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, was revitalized during the Renaissance, expanded upon during the Enlightenment and further developed in the mid-20th century.

• Francesco Petrarch
• Alexander Pope
• Sir Thomas More
• Francis Bacon
• François Rabelais
• Albert Einstein
• Isaac Asimov
• Kurt Vonnegut
• Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Mark Twain
• George Bernard Shaw
• Aldous Huxley

"This age of ours consequently has let fall, bit by bit, some of the richest and sweetest fruits that the tree of knowledge has yielded; has thrown away the results of the vigils and labours of the most illustrious men of genius, things of more value, I am almost tempted to say, than anything else in the whole world..."—Francesco Petrach

"Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; the proper study of mankind is man."—Alexander Pope

"Humanism is, in sum, a philosophy for those in love with life. Humanists take responsibility for their own lives and relish the adventure of being part of new discoveries, seeking new knowledge, exploring new options. Instead of finding solace in prefabricated answers to the great questions of life, Humanists enjoy the open-endedness of a quest and the freedom of discovery that this entails."—Frederick Edwords Executive Director, American Humanist Association

"Humanism, having its ultimate faith in humankind, believes that human beings possess the power or potentiality of solving their own problems, through reliance primarily upon reason and scientific method applied with courage and vision."—Corliss Lamont

• YouTube Video: Second Life Humanism: Another World? (Time: 8:24)