Annotated Webliography of Humanism
ANNOTATED WEBLIOGRAPHY OF HUMANISM Last revision: 3 november 2007
This is a collection of websites related to humanism. It is an ANNOTATED and SELECTIVE list. The selection and annotation reflect my considered personal judgment. Hardly any evaluative comments are given, but inclusion of a site in this webliography of humanism means that I think it is a good site, worth visiting.
Notes are given in the language used by the website concerned, mostly in the form of quotations taken from that site. When notes are given in more languages, it means that the site is (partly) available in those languages.
Many of the websites listed here properly belong to more than one of the categories used. Rather than repeating sites, I have decided to mention each website only once.
Most of the sites in this webliography contain links to other relevant pages on the web.
The site-addresses listed here are checked at least every six months. They have been checked on 1 February 2005.
The organization and the contents of this page, of course, heavily depend on the way the concept of "humanism" is used. To get a better understanding of what you find here, you can read an explication of what is meant by the word "humanism".
This explication refers to the research program Humanism, Meanings of Life, Worldviews, in which I take part.
You may also read an historical review of modern humanism in the Netherlands in pdf.
Dr. Peter Derkx, professor of Humanism and Worldviews at the University for Humanistics (Universiteit voor Humanistiek) at Utrecht in the Netherlands
You are invited to e-mail your comments and suggestions.
Contents of this site
Renaissance or Classical Humanism
Humanities
Humanism, Enlightenment, Romanticism
Humanist Organizations by Geographical Area
Global
Europe
North America
Central and South America
Africa
Asia
Australia and Pacific Ocean
Human Dignity, Human Rights, Human Condition
Humanism & Marxism
Humanism & (Post)Modernism
Research and Educational Institutions Related To Humanism
Miscellaneous
Webliographies of humanism besides this one
Ways to find other relevant websites
RENAISSANCE OR CLASSICAL HUMANISM
- Humanities Scholarship (Michael L. Hall, University of Maryland, USA)
An index of humanities sites, many on the Renaissance period and on Greek and Latin classics.
- Montaigne Studies (University of Chicago, IL, USA)
Montaigne Studies is an interdisciplinary journal published annually in the fall. The contents of its back issues can be searched on line.
- Perseus Project (Gregory Crane, Tufts University, MA, USA)
"Perseus is a continually growing digital library of resources for studying the ancient world. The library's materials include ancient texts and translations, philological tools, maps, extensively illustrated art catalogs, and secondary essays on topics like vase painting. A collaborative team from a number of academic institutions has worked together to amass Perseus materials. Over 70 museums have shared pictures of their art objects."
The Perseus site offers a search facility.
- Institut d'Archéologie et des Sciences de l'Antiquité (Université de Lausanne, Suisse)
"De nombreux serveurs proposent des listes collationnant tous les sites Web dédiés aux études classiques et à l'archéologie, ce qui permet de ne pas avoir recours à des moteurs de recherches soit trop généralistes (Yahoo, Magellan), soit trop pointus (Altavista, MetaCrawler). Chaque serveur d'adresses est néanmoins plus ou moins spécialisé. Nous vous proposons les principaux qui doivent vous permettre de vous y retrouver dans cette jungle virtuelle."
- Warburg Institute (London, UK)
"The Warburg Institute of the University of London exists principally to further the study of the classical tradition, that is of those elements of European thought, literature, art and institutions which derive from the ancient world. It houses an archive, a library and a collection of photographs begun and organized by Aby Warburg, the historian of Renaissance art and civilization.The classical tradition is conceived as the theme which unifies the history of Western civilization. The bias is not towards 'classical' values in art and literature: students and scholars will find represented all the strands that link medieval and modern civilization with its origins in the ancient cultures of the Near East and the Mediterranean."
The Warburg Institute Library can be searched on line.
HUMANITIES
- H-Net, Humanities & Social Sciences OnLine (Michigan State University, USA)
"H-Net is an international cooperative initiative in Humanities and Social Science computing. (...) H-Net began as a small consortium of scholarly e-mail lists for historians. This original group has grown to include over eighty academic discussion networks spanning a variety of disciplines and fields of study. The H-Net Discussion Network Directory provides a searchable index to the lists and their World Wide Web sites, which are valuable online resources in their own right. H-Net and its discussion lists are affiliated with over 60 scholarly societies (...)."
- History Central Catalogue - WWW Virtual Library (European University Institute, Florence, Italy)
- Philosophy - WWW Virtual Library (University of Bristol, UK, in collaboration with SOSIG, the Social Science Information Gateway)
- Arts & Letters Daily (The Chronicle of Higher Education, Washington, DC, USA)
A site with links to a wonderful selection of recent articles and book reviews.
HUMANISM, ENLIGHTENMENT, ROMANTICISM
- Eighteenth-Century Resources (Jack Lynch, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA)
"The collection includes information on literature, history, art, music, religion, economics, philosophy, and so on, from around the world, as well as the home pages of societies and people who work on eighteenth-century topics. The site is aimed especially at scholars and students; I've excluded many sites of interest only to fans, historical re-enactors, &c. As a rule, I've excluded commercial sites, breaking that rule only when there seemed to be genuinely useful information on a commercial page."
- Hume Society (Mikael M. Karlsson, Iceland)
- Voltaire Foundation (University of Oxford, UK)
# A rich source of information on the European Enlightenment and on the eighteenth century, not just on Voltaire. The contents of all the important Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century can be searched on line.
# "La Fondation édite chaque année une douzaine de nouveaux titres dans la collection Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century. Plus de 320 volumes sont actuellement disponibles dans cette collection bilingue, qui touche à tout aspect du dix-huitième siècle."
HUMANIST ORGANIZATIONS BY GEOGRAPHICAL AREA
These organizations typically promote freethought and open and undogmatic meaning frames and worldviews. Some of them are critical not only of certain types of religion, but of all religion.
GLOBAL
- IHEU - International Humanist and Ethical Union (London, UK)
The IHEU was founded in 1952 in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Its headquarters are in London, England.
"The Humanist tradition has its intellectual roots in ancient China, India, Greece, Rome and Europe. However, Humanist organisations (humanist, ethical culture, rationalist, secularist or atheist) are a relatively recent phenomenon. Humanist groups are cultural organisations working on an educational or on a non-party political basis to translate Humanist aspirations into practical actions. In modern society, these organisations also provide a community for those who find meaning and value in life without the aid of traditional religions or gods."
All IHEU member organisations agree that:
"Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality."
The International Humanist and Ethical Union joins together 86 member and cooperating organisations from 35 countries, representing nearly five million members. These organisations range from large membership groups to specialist bodies such as universities, development agencies and publishers.
The IHEU has nineteen full member organizations from eight countries: Australia (1), Belgium (3), Germany (3), India (5), Netherlands (1), Norway (1), UK (2) and USA (3). Apart from its `full members', the IHEU distinguishes between `specialist members' (8: from the Netherlands and the USA), `associate members' (54, from all continents) and `cooperating organisations' (5: from Bangladesh, the Netherlands and the USA).
If an organization in this webliography is a member of the IHEU, this has been mentioned.
- New Humanists on the Internet (New Humanism, The Humanist Movement)
`The Humanist Movement' was founded in 1969 by Mario Luis Rodriguez Cobos, better known as `Silo'. Silo was born in 1938 in Argentina. His published works have given rise to `New Humanism'. In 1997 New Humanists were active in more than fifty countries, with a large presence in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Italy, Spain and the USA.
The Humanist Movement "is both a current of opinion and also a broad-based social movement. It is neither a political or religious organization nor is it a club or any other type of institution. On the other hand, a wide range of organizations and institutions have been launched by people within The Humanist Movement, including clubs, political parties, environmental organizations, cultural associations, etc. (...) We work toward a non-violent and global revolution that places labor before capital, real democracy before formal democracy, and meaning in life before resignation, complicity and the absurd. For a more complete definition of our positions see Letter 6 in Silo's Letters to my friends. (...)
A great change is approaching. Our old ways of thinking are in crisis; they can no longer provide answers to today's problems. (...)
We believe in human beings, in our possibilities to change ourselves, and our capacity to transform the world in which we live. (...)
The Humanist Movement works for an overall change in society, which is possible only by transforming the power structures of the present system (the legal system and values that rule our social organization). To make this a reality, the H.M. supports a new model in which the human being is the central value - neither the State, Capital, God, nor any other entity or institution is placed above the human being. In addition, the H.M. aspires for human beings to surpass their personal suffering, and to discover or strengthen the meaning of their lives. In other words, we aim to transform today's established system of values. (...) We aspire, then, to carry out social change and personal development simultaneously. (...)
As Humanists we organize meetings to carry out works of personal development that enable us to connect with our inner force, to communicate with each other, and to strengthen our faith and meaning in life. These meetings take place each week in people's homes, our humanist centers, or where we study or work. We also develop tools for social action: neighbourhood centers and newspapers, local radio and TV stations, as well as publishing houses, Centers of Communication, Humanist Clubs of all kinds, Multi-Cultural Centers, and the Humanist Party, our instrument of political expression.
The structure of the H.M. today consists of some 20,000 members. It is organized simply, with orientors, who start new groups and launch tools for action; administratives, who ensure that information circulates effectively and reaches everyone who participates in the H.M.; and support members, who assist other members in gaining personal strength and development. The structure of the H.M. is organized so that each person orients that part of the whole which he or she has built.
Members of the structure make three commitments: to participate in the weekly meetings of personal work; to make a twice-yearly contribution of $130 to finance the worldwide activities of the structure; and to take on the task of giving orientation in life to all those who need it."
NOTE: There is no affiliation between the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) and The Humanist Movement of Silo's New Humanists. In its journal International Humanist News of September 1997 the IHEU warns against `Siloism' as a dangerous sect exploiting `idealistically-minded young people and progressive organisations' in order `to erect a totalitarian world-state'.
EUROPE
- British Humanist Association (London, UK)
"The British Humanist Association is the UK's leading organisation for people concerned with ethics and society, free from religious and supernatural dogma. It represents, supports and serves humanists in the United Kingdom and is a registered charity with more than fifty affiliated local groups. (...)
Humanism is an approach to life based on reason and our common humanity, recognising that moral values are properly founded on human nature and experience alone. (...)
Humanists think...
. that this world and this life are all we have
. that we should try to live full and happy lives ourselves and, as part of this, make it easier for other people to do the same
. that all situations and people deserve to be judged on their merits by standards of reason and humanity
. that individuality and social co-operation are equally important."
The British Humanist Association is a full member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).
- Centre d'Action Laïque - CAL (Bruxelles, Belgique)
"L'usage du mot `laïcité' est susceptible de provoquer des malentendus, compte tenu du double sens que permet ce même mot et des concepts différents qu'il recouvre.
Quand nous utilisons le terme 'laïc' en parlant de l'État et des pouvoirs publics, nous voulons rendre compte de la diversité politique, philosophique et culturelle de la société. Au contraire d'une société théocratique qui institue la religion d'État et qui subordonne l'autorité civile à l'autorité religieuse ou qui confond l'une et l'autre, la société `laïque' est celle qui prétend instituer un mode de fonctionnement indifférent aux diverses conceptions philosophiques et religieuses. Dans ce sens, la `laïcité' (appliquée à l'État), n'est ni hostile ni favorable à une religion ou une autre, ou à une conception théiste ou athée des citoyens. La `laïcité' de l'État est une conception non agressive à laquelle peuvent adhérer les croyants de n'importe quelle religion ainsi que les incroyants. Le principe de laïcité de l'État et des institutions peut se traduire par la proposition suivante: Aucun groupe quelconque ne peut, même au nom d'un principe transcendant, de la Bible ou du Coran, d'une église ou d'une idéologie, prétendre s'approprier l'État ni l'une de ses composantes régionales ou locales, ni l'un de ses organes, qui demeure le bien commun de tous les citoyens.
Dans un autre sens, la `laïcité' exprime une conception de vie particulière, jadis extrêmement rare, mais actuellement fort répandue. La laïcité désigne alors la communauté de citoyens et d'organismes soucieux de `construire une société juste, progressiste et fraternelle, assurant à chacun la liberté de pensée et de son expression, adoptant le libre examen comme méthode de pensée et d'action, le tout en dehors de tout dogme et en respectant autrui dans ces convictions' (statuts du CAL). Cette communauté, fondée sur une conception philosophique non confessionnelle, pourrait s'appeler la communauté humaniste ou la communauté de la libre pensée. Elle est identifiée (en Belgique notamment) comme la communauté laïque. C'est ainsi que des individus de plus en plus nombreux s'identifient, à titre individuel, comme `laïques', signifiant par là une adhésion à une conception de vie et à des valeurs qui ne font plus référence à une divinité ou à un principe supérieur extrinsèque à l'humanité. Ce sentiment d'adhésion, manifesté par divers sondages d'opinion concordants, se rapporte non seulement à la conception laïque des institutions publiques mais aussi à une conception de vie fondée sur des valeurs."
Le Centre d'Action Laïque (CAL) est un membre complet (`full member') de la IHEU (International Humanist and Ethical Union).
- Bund Freireligiöser Gemeinden Deutschlands - BFGD
Der BFGD ist eine Vereinigung Freier Religions- und Weltanschauungsgemeinschaften.
"In einer Freien Religion wird kein Glaubensbekenntnis vorgegeben oder eine unumstössliche Wahrheit verkündet. Freie Religion umfasst eine grosse Bandbreite religiöser, weltanschaulicher und philosophischer Ansichten. Ihre gemeinsame Grundlage kann in Form von Grundsätzen formuliert werden:
1. Sinngebende Instanz in einer Freien Religion ist der Mensch. Sie kennt keine ausserweltliche Autorität.
2. In einer Freien Religion ist der Massstab des Denkens und Glaubens die Vernunft.
3. Freie Religion ist bestimmt vom Streben nach Freiheit und Menschlichkeit. Freiheit können Menschen nur im Miteinander verwirklichen.
4. Freie Religion kennt keine absolute, jemals abgeschlossene Wahrheit. Im Streben nach immer neuen Einsichten bemüht sie sich um Toleranz.
5. Freie Religion macht sich dazu die Erkenntnisse der Wissenschaften zu eigen und sucht, ihren Wert für die menschliche Situation darzustellen.
6. Freie Religion ist eine Religion der Tat, nicht des Glaubens.
(...)
10. Freie Religion würdigt die religiösen und weltanschaulichen Traditionen der Menschheit als Suche nach Sinn. Sie anerkannt die positiven Werte darin und die kulturgeschichtliche Bedeutung und steht jeder Tradition, auch der eigenen, frei und kritisch gegenüber.
(...)
12. Freie Religion ist verwurzelt in einem ethischen Humanismus."
Der Bund Freireligiöser Gemeinden Deutschlands ist Mitglied (`full member') der IHEU (International Humanist and Ethical Union).
- Hivos - Humanistisch Instituut voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking / Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries (Den Haag, Nederland / Netherlands)
# "Hivos is een ontwikkelingsorganisatie die staat voor emancipatie, democratisering en armoedebestrijding in ontwikkelingslanden. Daartoe gaat financiële steun naar 679 lokale particuliere organisaties in 30 landen in Afrika, Azië en Latijns-Amerika. Hun activiteiten zijn gericht op economische verzelfstandiging, kunst en cultuur, aidspreventie en mensenrechten, milieu en emancipatie, vrouwen en ontwikkeling. (...)
In 1996 heeft Hivos 70,2 miljoen gulden uitgegeven ten behoeve van partnerorganisaties in het Zuiden. De benodigde middelen komen van donateurs en spaarders, de Nederlandse overheid, de EU en particuliere instellingen.
Bij Hivos werken 77 mensen. Een deel van het werk is gedecentraliseerd naar drie regiokantoren in Zimbabwe, India en Costa Rica. Zij verzorgen een belangrijk deel van de contacten met partnerorganisaties, zoals advisering en begeleiding.
Hivos geeft daarnaast voorlichting over ontwikkelingsthema's en komt op voor belangen van het Zuiden. (...)
Hivos is een seculiere organisatie die handelt vanuit humanistische beginselen. De stichting Hivos (...) is in 1968 opgericht. Het Humanistisch Verbond, de vereniging Weezenkas en Humanitas vormen de constituerende organisaties."Hivos is gespecialiseerd lid (`specialist member') van de IHEU.
# "Hivos (...) seeks to help improve the opportunities and scope for development of people in the South. Respect for human rights, pluralism and democratization are essential elements here. Local NGO's (non-governmental organizations) and social organizations play a key role. (...)
Hivos confines its support to organizations that are secular, independent and non-governmental. (...)
Hivos concentrates its support geographically in a limited number of regions and countries. In 1996 financial support [of about 35 million US dollars] went to 679 organizations in 30 countries in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Southern and East Africa, and South, South-East and Central Asia. (...)
In its policy Hivos gives priority to the following five special themes: * economic self-reliance * culture and the arts * gender, women and development * sustainable development * human rights and AIDS. (...)
Hivos has a highly decentralized structure. The Head Office in the Netherlands retains final responsibility, but implementation of policy in various countries has been delegated to three Regional Offices. These comprise the office in Harare (Zimbabwe) serving Southern Africa, the office in San José (Costa Rica) serving Central America, and the office in Bangalore for South Asia."
Hivos is a specialist member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).
- Human-Etisk Forbund (Norge / Norway)
"Forbundet ble stiftet i 1956 i Oslo. (...) Forbundet har na 56 000 medlemmer (1996), tallet oker med flere tusen pr. ar, og Human-Etisk Forbund er saledes i dag den storste livssynsorganisasjon i Norge utenom Statskirken. (...)
Human-Etisk Forbund er en organisasjon for mennesker, som ubundet av religion, vil bygge sitt livssyn og sin etikk pa medmenneskelighet, personlig erfaring, egen kritisk tenkning og en oppfatning av verden og tilvaerelsen som har stotte i vitenskapelige metoder og resultater.
Forbundet legger til grunn for sitt arbeid de humanistiske idealer og prinsipper som kommer til uttrykk i FNs erklaering om Menneskerettighetene av 1948.
Forbundet er partipolitisk uavhengig.
Forbundet vil arbeide for:
a) et samfunn med full religions- og livssynsfrihet, uten statsreligion og uten religiose formalsparagrafer for offentlig virksomhet,
b) at alle mennesker skal ha tilbud om fullverdige borgerlige seremonier og livssynstjenester,
c) opplysning om human-etikk, blant annet gjennom voksenopplaering og studiearbeid."
Human-Etisk Forbund is a full member of the IHEU. (I do not know how to say this in Norwegian.)
- Humanistisch Vrijzinnige Organisaties Vlaanderen (Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, België)
- Humanistische Alliantie (Nederland)
De Humanistische Alliantie is het netwerk van 43 samenwerkende humanistische organisaties in Nederland.
Enkele (met name de grootste) van deze organisaties zijn op een of andere manier lid van de IHEU. Er is geen verband met De Humanistische Beweging van Silo's New Humanists.
- Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands (Berlin, Deutschland)
"Wir sind alles andere als Religion
. Humanismus ist Ethik und Moral ohne Gott
. Humanismus heisst, Menschenrechte für jeden einzelnen Menschen
. Humanismus ist die begründete Hoffnung, dass Menschen solidarisch sein können
. Humanismus ist freies Denken ohne Dogmen und Heilsversprechen
. Humanismus übt Toleranz gegenüber Andersdenkenden
. Humanismus heisst, selbst entscheiden wie das eigene Leben gelebt werden soll"
Der Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands ist Mitglied (`full member') der IHEU.
- Humanitas (Amsterdam, Nederland / Netherlands)
# Humanitas, opgericht in 1945, is een vereniging voor maatschappelijke dienstverlening en samenlevingsopbouw.
"Humanitas helpt mensen zichzelf te helpen en iedereen kan een beroep doen op Humanitas. Omdat wij vinden dat ieder mens verantwoordelijk is voor zichzelf en zijn medemens, komen daarbij respect voor ieders keuze en gelijkwaardigheid tussen mensen op de eerste plaats. (...)
Bij Humanitas werken duizenden vrijwilligers en beroepskrachten in districten, afdelingen en stichtingen door heel Nederland. (...)
De vrijwilligers van Humanitas zijn onder andere actief in vrijwillige thuiszorg, rouwverwerking, jeugdwelzijn, vriendschappelijk huisbezoek, kindervakantieweken, opvoedingsondersteuning aan gezinnen met jonge kinderen, ouderenzorg, ouderen en wonen, de multiculturele samenleving, maatschappelijke opvang van o.a. dak- en thuislozen en psychosociale hulp aan transseksuelen.
In de werkstichtingen van Humanitas houden beroepskrachten zich bezig met kinderopvang, dienstverlening aan verstandelijk gehandicapten, thuiszorg, maatschappelijke dienstverlening, ouderenhuisvesting, persoonlijke dienstverlening en vermogensbeheer."
# Humanitas was founded in 1945 and is "a member-based organization for social services and community-development. It has some 16,000 members and approximately 10,000 volunteers, who are organized in over 80 local and regional branches.
Humanitas helps people to help themselves and everyone can call upon us. Because we feel that every human being is responsible for himself and for his fellow humans, human equality and respect for each person's personal choices are the basics for our work.
Humanitas continuously strives for an innovative and accessible spectre of activities. Our branches set their own priorities, depending on local circumstances and on the personal choice of the volunteers.
Activities include many different forms of small-scale services, social work in addition to professional help as well as serving on the board of many local welfare agencies such as homes for the elderly.
Accordingly, Humanitas volunteers may be engaged in providing local services for the elderly, organising social contacts for people who suffer from loneliness, providing programs for children in dysfunctional families, helping people sort out financial problems, counselling transsexuals and their relatives and many other activities. (...)
In certain areas, Humanitas employs professionals: when training and counselling volunteers, when housing and assisting people with learning difficulties, in running nursing homes or day care centers and when engaged in social work.(...)
Members of Humanitas pay a moderate annual contribution. Humanitas receives financial support from national, provincial and local authorities, funds from the Sponsorbingo lottery and legacies."
- U.A.A.R. - Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti / Italian Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics (Padova, Italia / Padua, Italy)
"L'Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti (UUAR) è l'unica associazione italiana di atei e di agnostici ed è completamente indipendente da forze politiche o da gruppi di pressione di qualsiasi genere. Essa si è costituita di fatto nel 1987 e legalmente nel 1991, presentandosi al pubblico con dibattiti e altre iniziative. Essa si propone i seguenti scopi generali:
1. promozione della conoscenza delle teorie atee e agnostiche e di ogni visione razionale del mondo e della sua vita;
2. sostegno alle istanze pluralistiche nella divulgazione delle diverse concezioni del mondo e nel confronto fra di esse, opponendosi all'intolleranza, alla discriminazione e alla prevaricazione;
3. riaffermazione, nella concreta situazione italiana, della completa laicità dello stato lottando per l'abolizione di ogni privilegio accordato alla religione cattolica nella scuola e nella società in generale e promuovendo, fra l'altro, l'abrogazione dell'articolo 7 della Costituzione che fa propri i patti lateranensi fra Stato italiano e Vaticano."
Membro associato dell' IHEU.
NORTH AMERICA
- American Atheists (Parsippany, New Jersey, USA)
"Since 1963, American Atheists has been the premier organization laboring for the civil liberties of Atheists, and the total, absolute separation of government and religion."
"An Atheist loves himself and his fellow man instead of a god."
"As Atheists, we are NOT Humanists, Agnostics, Rationalists, Freethinkers, Ethical Culturalists, or Unitarians, nor do we hide behind any of a number of pseudo-Atheist labels used chiefly as socially acceptable camouflage."
- American Ethical Union - Virtual Ethical Society (New York, NY, USA)
"The Ethical Society is a fellowship of people who seek clarification of the values of life and a faith to live by. They cherish freedom of the mind and freedom of conscience. Their affirmation is the worth and dignity and possibilities of every person. The common ground is the concern with the relation of human beings to one another. (...)
The Ethical Societies have no creed of theology or metaphysics, no set doctrines concerning the unknown mysteries of life. There is no claim to a belief in a supernatural universe or Supreme Being, or to a belief in any one scripture as the source of absolute truth or belief in an afterlife or another world. Nor is there any set ritual or form of worship. The basic viewpoint is one of freedom for the individual to work out one's own personal formulation of one's attitude toward the unknown and the mysteries of life, such questions as the nature of ultimate reality and death. (...)
The Ethical Movement is part of the long history of the effort of human beings to find meaning and purpose in life. (...) [T]he concept of an Ethical Faith developed (...) in effort to transcend the dogmas of supernaturalism and the limitations of sectarianism. (...) Since increasing numbers of women and men are no longer affiliated with religious institutions and since increasing numbers no longer believe and worship in traditional ways, the Ethical Movement performs an important function in offering a free platform and a free fellowship for the unchurched."
The American Ethical Union (AEU) is a full member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).
- American Humanist Association (Amherst, NY, USA)
"The American Humanist Association is a national organization founded in 1941 to promote humanism in the United States. The AHA represents both secular and religious naturalistic humanism, and cooperates with other national and international humanist organizations to advance the ideals of humanism. The AHA organizes and supports local humanist chapters in many major American cities, is a [full] member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, and provides support for two smaller humanist organizations, the Humanist Society of Friends and the Friends of Religious Humanism."
The American Humanist Association (AHA) is also a member of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF).
- Council for Secular Humanism (Amherst, NY, USA)
"Secular Humanism is a term which has come into use in the last thirty years to describe a world view with the following elements and principles:
. A conviction that dogmas, ideologies and traditions, whether religious, political or social, must be weighed and tested by each individual and not simply accepted on faith.
. Commitment to the use of critical reason, factual evidence, and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith and mysticism, in seeking solutions to human problems and answers to important human questions. (...)
Secular humanists typically describe themselves as atheist (without a belief in a god and very skeptical of the possibility) or agnostic (without a belief in a god and uncertain as to the possibility). Secular humanists hail from widely divergent philosophical and religious backgrounds, ranging from Christian fundamentalism to liberal belief systems to lifelong atheism."
The Council for Secular Humanism is a full member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).
- Humanistic Judaism Homepage (USA)
The site offers weblinks relevant to humanistic judaism.
"This page was created by Jeff Hellman of Humanistic Jews of Greater Portland (Oregon, U.S.A.). It is operated by Walter Hellman as an independent service for all Humanistic Jews, both affiliated and unaffiliated. The page and its contents do not necessarily represent the views of the Society for Humanistic Judaism or the Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations."
- Institute for Humanist Studies (Albany, New York, USA)
The Institute for Humanist Studies, founded in 1999, "is a think tank whose mission is to promote greater public awareness, understanding, and support for humanism. The Institute specializes in pioneering new technology and methods for the advancement of humanism."
"Humanism is a philosophy of life inspired by humanity and guided by reason.
Humanists think that science and reason provide the best basis for understanding the world around us.
Humanists believe that moral values are properly founded on human empathy and scientific understanding.
Humanists see no convincing evidence for gods, the supernatural, or life after death.
Humanists believe we must live this life on the basis that it is the only life we'll have -- that, therefore, we must make the most of it for ourselves, each other, and our world.
Humanist philosophies have arisen separately in many different cultures over many thousands of years.Today, even though most have never assigned a label to their most cherished ideas about life, knowledge, ethics, purpose, and the universe, a significant portion of society shares this non-religious approach to life. Whether or not they use the term "humanism", tens of millions of Americans and hundreds of millions of people around the world agree with the humanist philosophy of living a happy and productive life based on reason and compassion."
The Institute for Humanist Studies is a Specialist Member of the IHEU.
- Mouvement laïque québecois (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
"Le Mouvement laïque québecois (MLQ) est un organisme sans but lucratif dont la raison d'être est la défense de la liberté de conscience, la séparation des Églises et de l'État et la laïcisation des institutions publiques.
La laïcité mise de l'avant par le Mouvement laïque québecois est respectueuse de la liberté de religion qui toutefois doit s'exercer dans les limites et le respect des lois civiles. Cohérent avec le fait que la laïcité est le principe fondamental à la base des chartes des droits et libertés de la personne, le MLQ est solidaire des autres luttes qui visent à défendre et promouvoir ces droits fondamentaux.
La lutte pour la déconfessionnalisation du système scolaire et l'instauration d'écoles laïques sur l'ensemble du territoire québecois constitue l'un des principaux objectifs du MLQ. Il est également actif dans d'autres dossiers où la liberté de conscience est concernée. Ainsi, le MLQ est intervenu dans le débat sur l'avortement, sur la question de la monarchie constitutionnelle et de la souveraineté d'un Québec républicain."
- Unitarian Universalist Association (Boston, MA, USA)
"Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion born of the Jewish and Christian traditions. We keep our minds open to the religious questions people have struggled with in all times and places.
We believe that personal experience, conscience and reason should be the final authorities in religion. In the end religious authority lies not in a book or person or institution, but in ourselves. We put religious insights to the test of our hearts and minds.
We uphold the free search for truth. We will not be bound by a statement of belief. We do not ask anyone to subscribe to a creed. We say ours is a noncreedal religion. Ours is a free faith."
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is a founding member of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) and cooperates with the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
- Movimiento Humanista Evolucionario Cubano - Cuban Evolutionary Humanist Movement (Miami, Florida, USA)
# "Piense en sus más grandes problemas y en sus más grandes deseos. Poniendo las casualidades aparte, no depende de la actuación de un número de seres humanos - incluido usted mismo! - su solución o consecución? (...)
Predominamos en la naturaleza porque podemos entender racional y progresivamente el mundo de que somos parte; e imponer convicciones a nuestros instintos primitivos cuando es necesario. Buscamos relaciones claras y comprobables entre los objetos y fenómenos, porque son las únicas útiles. Evitamos las ideas que sólo son populares, antiguas o productos de la imaginación o la retórica. (...)
Tan o más importante que la naturaleza humana con que nacemos es la formación que adquirimos interactuando a lo largo de la vida. Desde habilidades básicas, como el habla y la postura erecta, hasta cualidades como la honestidad y la perseverancia, son frutos de la educación y la experiencia. (...) Creer en el ser humano incluye apreciar a plenitud tanto el valor de cada individuo como sus inmensos potenciales a desarrollar."
# "Consider your biggest problems and grandest wishes. Chance aside, doesn't solving your problems and fulfilling your wishes depend on the actions of human beings - yourself included? (...)
We are predominant in nature because we can rationally and increasingly understand the world we are part of, and because we can control our instinctive actions when necessary. We seek clear and verifiable relationships between objects and phenomena, because these are the only useful ones. We avoid those ideas that are only popular, ancient, or products of the imagination or rhetoric. (...)
Perhaps more important than the nature we are born with, are the effects on us of education and other experiences interacting along our lives. From basic skills like talking and standing upright, to qualities like honesty and perseverance, all are fruits of education and experience. (...) To believe in the human being includes the full appreciation of both the value of each individual and of his or her enormous potential to be developed."
AFRICA
ASIA
AUSTRALIA AND PACIFIC OCEAN
- Council of Australian Humanist Societies - CAHS (Melbourne, Australia)
The role of the CAHS includes:
. Acting as the umbrella for the Member Societies
. Organizing an annual Convention each Easter
. Publishing a quarterly journal, the Australian Humanist
. Monitoring legislation (e.g. on voluntary euthanasia), especially to ensure the protection of human rights
. Promoting ethical standards in the community without reliance on blind faith
. Making submissions to governments on social and ethical issues
. Sponsoring the Australian Humanist of the Year award
. Participating as an associate member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).
- The Humanist Society of New Zealand (Wellington, New Zealand)
"What does humanism mean ...
... for the individual?
That we must accept responsibility for our own lives; that we should pursue positive ideals and develop our potential; that we should enjoy life to the full in ways that respect the well-being of others.
... for human relationships?
That we need each other and must care for each other; that we should treat other people as well as we would want them to treat us; that respect, compassion and practical help are therefore fundamental values.
... for human society?
That communities and societies need to pursue positive ideals; that all states should promote open societies in which differences of opinion and lifestyle are accepted and state institutions are not biased towards any particular interest group; that societies ensure universal human rights and help their members to play full part at all levels within their community.
... for the whole world?
That the future of humankind and the natural world lies in our hands alone; that individuals and nations must be more responsive and co-operative if present and future generations are to benefit from, rather than suffer for, the advantages the industrial nations now have; that we must provide everyone with the security and means to control population growth; and that we must ensure that economic and social development respects the value and interdependence of all forms of life."
The NZ Humanist Society holds formal meetings and social events, co-ordinates projects, organises seminars, runs a bookshop and publishes a magazine. It also provides celebrants and officiants for secular marriages, funerals, naming ceremonies and other 'rites of passage'.
The Humanist Society of NZ has branches throughout New Zealand (i.e. in Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington and Christchurch) and it is an associate member of the IHEU.
- The New Zealand Association of Rationalists & Humanists - NZARH (Auckland, New Zealand)
In February 1997 '& Humanists' was added to the name of the association.
"A rationalist believes that knowledge and truth are ascertained by using reason and logic and not by divine or supernatural revelation. A humanist rejects that there is any power or moral value superior to that of humanity; [this is meant to imply] the rejection of religion in favour of a belief in the advancement of humanity by its own efforts.
Humanism is built on the bedrock of reason, while reason needs humanism to be animated.
The principal aims of the NZARH are:
a) To advocate a rational, humane, and secular view of life without reference to supernatural agencies and which is compatible with the scientific method.
b) To promote a tolerant, responsible, and open society.
c) To encourage open-minded enquiry into matters relevant to human co-existence and well-being.
Past and present endeavours of the NZARH include:
. Opposing the introduction of religious instruction in state schools.
. Abolishing all laws interfering with the free use of Sunday (in the early days of the association even playground swings were chained).
. Securing abolition of the blasphemy laws.
. Reformation of the abortion laws.
. Support for voluntary euthanasia."
HUMAN DIGNITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, HUMAN CONDITION
- University of Minnesota Human Rights Library (USA)
There are many sites on human rights, but this is one of the very best.
- Netherlands Institute of Human Rights - SIM (Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Another very good site on human rights.
Er is ook een Nederlandse versie van deze site van het Studie- en Informatiecentrum Mensenrechten - SIM (Utrecht).
- World Database of Happiness (Ruut Veenhoven, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
"The World Database of Happiness is an ongoing register of scientific research on subjective appreciation of life[-as-a-whole]. It brings together findings that are scattered throughout many studies and provides a basis for meta-analytical studies."
The database contains a bibliography of happiness, a catalog of indicators (measures) of happiness, a catalog of research findings regarding happiness in 112 nations during the period 1946-2000, a catalog of happiness correlates, and a directory of happiness investigators.
HUMANISM & MARXISM
There are two good sites on Marx and Marxism. They have search engines in which you can enter "humanism" as a search term.
Marx and Engels' Writings (Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA)
Marxist Writers Archive (Marxists Internet Archive)
I have found one site focusing on Marxist humanism. It is the site of the News and Letters Committees
(Chicago, USA), for a large part devoted to the writings of Raya Dunayevskaya.
"News and Letters Committees is an organization of Marxist-Humanists that since its birth has stood for the abolition of capitalism, both in its
private property form as in the U.S., and its state property form, as it has historically appeared in state-capitalist regimes calling themselves
Communist as in Russia and China. We stand for the development of new human relations, what Marx first called a new Humanism. (...)
Raya Dunayevskaya (1910-1987), founder of the body of ideas of Marxist-Humanism, became Chairwoman (...) of the Committees from its founding
[in 1955] to 1987. (...) Dunayevskaya's philosophic comprehension of her creation and development of Marxist-Humanism, especially as expressed in her 1980s writings,
presents the vantage point for re-creating her ideas anew. (...)
In opposing this capitalistic, racist, sexist, heterosexist, class-ridden society, we have organized ourselves into a committee form of organization rather than any elitist party 'to lead'."
HUMANISM & (POST)MODERNISM
There is no site on the relationship between humanism and (post)modernism, but a good site on postmodernism is this one:
Everything Postmodern (Gregory Broquard, Arizona State University, USA)
"EP strives to be the most comprehensive guide to postmodern theory on the web today."
RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS RELATED TO HUMANISM
- Center for Dewey Studies (Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, USA)
"By virtue of its publications and research, the Center has become the international focal point for research on Dewey's life and work".
John Dewey (1859-1952) is one of the most important twentieth-century philosophers and humanists.
- Center "Leo Apostel" - CLEA (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium)
"The Center 'Leo Apostel' (CLEA) is a (...) transdisciplinary research department. It is situated at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), but its board of directors covers different Flemish universities. It is named after the (...) Belgian philosopher and logician Leo Apostel [1925-1995]. Apostel donated the money of the Solvay prize, which he received [in 1986] for his life work, to the VUB in order to create such a center.
The center's aim is the development of world views that integrate the results of different scientific and cultural disciplines. It in particular tries to bridge the gap between the natural sciences and the social sciences and humanities."
- Humanist Institute (New York, NY, USA)
"Humanism has an important contribution to make to the modern world. But in order to give reality to humanist ideals and practices, humanism must be effectively organized. Organization demands leadership. To provide for the training of new humanist leadership and to provide for the continuing training of existing humanist leadership is the role of The Humanist Institute [which was created in 1982 by leaders from the major U.S. humanist groups].
The Humanist Institute is committed to leadership education. Humanist leadership is defined pluralistically and inclusively. Thus, the Institute includes community/congregation/chapter-based leadership, regional and national organizational leadership, specialized leadership roles as spokespersons, educators and counselors, and leadership within the various serving professions.
The Institute is an independent program that works with existing humanist organizations. It provides a unique opportunity to bring together a diverse faculty and student body representing those who interpret nontheistic and naturalistic humanism in secular, religious, and life-stance terms.
Finally, through its faculty, alumni/ae, and student body, the Institute will develop programs for exploring humanist ideas and practices. Research and publications will be an essential element of the Institute's program, including the Faculty Colloquium, [the annual journal] Humanism Today, and weekend conferences and workshops. (...)
The Graduate Certificate of The Humanist Leadership Studies Program is awarded upon completion of the program. In addition, a program of supervised field work is required. This graduate-level program will ordinarily be completed in a three-year period involving intensive reading and reflection. Students come to New York City or Washington, DC, for long-weekend seminars in December and April and for 5-day seminars in August."
The Humanist Institute is not a member of the IHEU, but it has good connections with it.
- Universiteit voor Humanistiek (UvH) - University for Humanistics (Utrecht, Nederland / Netherlands)
# "De Universiteit voor Humanistiek verzorgt een wetenschappelijke beroepsopleiding gericht op professionele begeleiding van individuen, groepen en organisaties in hun omgaan met en onderzoek naar zingevingsvragen. (...)
Humanistiek is een multidisciplinaire menswetenschap. Multidisciplinair houdt in dat men gedurende de (zesjarige) opleiding tot humanisticus disciplines als filosofie, ethiek, psychologie, pedagogiek, geschied- en religiewetenschappen met elkaar leert verbinden, en de mens en al zijn vragen breed leert benaderen. (...)
Humanistiek is een multidisciplinaire menswetenschap gericht op de studie van zingevingsvragen en zingevingsmogelijkheden binnen de hedendaagse cultuur, op basis van humanistische inspiratiebronnen.
De humanistiek kent twee, onderling verbonden zwaartepunten. In de eerste plaats de systematische en historische studie van zingevingsprocessen en zingevingskaders. In de tweede plaats de ontwikkeling van praktisch toepasbare inzichten en vaardigheden gericht op het vergroten van zingevingsmogelijkheden in het dagelijks leven maar ook binnen instituties en organisaties. Centraal staan daarbij de mogelijkheden voor mensen om uitdrukking te geven aan datgene waar het in de kern om gaat en daarvoor gehoor te vinden bij anderen.
Humanistisch raadslieden zijn vanouds werkzaam binnen zorginstellingen, bij justitie en in de krijgsmacht. Nieuwe werkvelden zijn in ontwikkeling op het gebied van educatie - met name onderwijs en scholing rond zingevingsvragen - en op het gebied van arbeid, organisatie en beleid. Daarbij gaat het onder meer om de professionele begeleiding van ethische vragen binnen bedrijven en om adviezen en trainingen rond persoonlijke zingeving, cultuurontwikkeling en bejegening binnen organisaties in de zorgsector, het welzijnswerk en de dienstverlening."
De UvH is gespecialiseerd lid (`specialist member') van de IHEU.
Bron van veel nuttige informatie betreffende humanisme zijn ook de Bibliotheek van de UvH en het in de UvH gevestigde Humanistisch Archief.
# "The University for Humanistics at Utrecht was founded in 1989 and may thus still count as a young institution. It is nevertheless one that has started to make its mark both in and outside the academic realm. Fully recognised and subsidised by the Dutch Ministry of Education, the University for Humanistics distinguishes itself from other universities in a number of ways: by the still quite unique multidisciplinary course it offers, and by its size (one faculty; circa 80 staff; 320 regular students).
Humanistics is a full-time, six-year course with an integrated academic and practical training that draws from philosophy, ethics, psychology, pedagogy, sociology, theology and history. It is a multidisciplinary course that centres on existential questions and moral problems from humanist perspectives. Students are taught how to judge complex issues independently: they learn how to compare them and put them into perspective, and they learn how to conduct research. (...)
To date, career opportunities for qualified humanisticians can be predominantly found in the fields of welfare, care and education. They might be active as professional humanist counsellors, hold policy or management positions, or conduct research, particularly with regard to ethical and existential (meaning giving) issues."
An important source of information on humanism - especially regarding the humanist movement from 1850 onward - is Het Humanistisch Archief (The Dutch Humanist Archives), housed in one of the buildings of the University for Humanistics.
MISCELLANEOUS
- J. Wesley Robbins (Indiana University South Bend, USA): Essays on Pragmatic Humanism
"Pragmatic humanism is a combination of two logically distinct components. The first is an account of human mentality rooted in the Darwin inspired work of William James and John Dewey. Richard Rorty is the most articulate and influential contemporary proponent of this pragmatist intellectual self-image. The second component is a resolutely naturalistic religious outlook, articulated by Dewey in A Common Faith, in which faith and hope are focused on human communities and their future enhancement by the unfettered operations of human creativity.
This webpage offers twelve essays by Robbins, which are "expositions of pragmatic humanism; defenses of it against assorted critics and opponents of various philosophical and theological persuasions; and accounts of its consequences for, among other things, religious freedom."
WEBLIOGRAPHIES OF HUMANISM BESIDES THIS ONE
- A good site is the one by Jone Johnson Lewis called Electronic Archives of Liberal Religion.
"The purpose of this site is to assist the amateur or professional scholar in finding documents relating to liberal religious history -- particularly Unitarian, Universalist, Ethical Culture, and religious humanism. A secondary purpose is to translate to web-readable format those key documents of liberal religious history that are not found already on the web."
The site focuses on the history of liberal religion in the United States.
- Secular Web (Internet Infidels, USA)
"The purpose of the Internet Infidels is to provide a virtual library of information on nontheistic worldviews, including agnosticism, atheism, freethought, humanism, and secularism."
The Secular Web is a very large, searchable site.
- The Institute for Humanist Studies (Albany, New York, USA) offers free Web hosting to humanist and related websites through Humanists.Net.
- The library of the University for Humanistics (Utrecht, The Netherlands) offers a Humanist Contents service, listing the contents of a selection of non-Dutch humanist periodicals. The library also provides a related archive and alerting service.
WAYS TO FIND OTHER RELEVANT WEBSITES (apart from Google, Yahoo and Ask.com)
- Livelink Federated Query Server - Web Search (Open Text)
A very good meta-search machine. Easy in use and powerful.
- Proteus Internet Search
Type what you would like to find, then select one of a number of the very best search engines. Among them e.g. Google, Google Scholar, Altavista, Ask Jeeves, Lycos, Teoma and Yahoo! and the meta-search engines Dogpile, Ixquick, Metacrawler, Profusion and Search.com. The same search can be repeated using another engine.
- Pinakes - A Subject Launchpad (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland)
A collection of major subject gateways.
You can e-mail me for your comments and suggestions
You can go
or to the index page of this website
Copyright © 1998-2007
Peter Derkx
Number of visitors to this page starting October 2002 (up to that month twenty-nine thousand visitors were counted):
Created: Winter 1998 - Last revision: 3 November 2007
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