Some of the ancient schools of humanist thought, such as Epicureanism, were associated with organized movements. These schools of thought disappeared with the decline and fall of the Roman Empire and the rise to power…
Lesson 1: Section 3
THE PHILOSOPHES Enlightenment thought was championed by a group of influential French philosophers called the “philosophes.” The high point of the French Enlightenment was the creation of the Encyclopedia –the first comprehensive account of human knowledge –…
Lesson 1: The Age of Reason
The Age of Reason, also known as “The Enlightenment”, starts in the seventeenth century and reaches its high point in the middle of the eighteenth century. It marks humankind’s emergence from the “Ages of Faith”…
Lesson 1: The Renaissance and the Birth of Science
The Renaissance started as a movement to regain the intellectual glories of the ancient world but ended by giving birth to the modern world. The Renaissance (from the French term meaning “rebirth”) describes the period…
Lesson I: Classical Greece and Rome
In the sixth and fifth centuries BCE, the Greek world experienced a cultural flowering that was to transform human civilization. Many of history’s most influential philosophers, historians, dramatists, and statesman lived in Athens and other…
Lesson 1: The Humanist Tradition in Ancient Asia
Humanism has often been portrayed as a Western invention, but in fact humanist ideas have arisen in cultures all over the world. India and China, for example, have a rich history of humanist and naturalistic…
Lesson 1: Introduction
A BRIEF HISTORY OF HUMANIST THOUGHT Humanism is a fairly new name for a very old philosophy. The basic principles of humanism – skepticism of supernatural claims and an emphasis on living a fulfilling and…
Defining Humanism
“…seeking, without religion, the best in, and for, human beings.”Chambers Pocket Dictionary “…a doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values; especially: a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses…
Introduction to Humanism
A PRIMER ON THE HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND GOALS OF HUMANISM Humanism is a godless philosophy based on reason and compassion. …is a ten-word, static definition of humanism. The free Individual Learning Courses are a million-word,…