Who is a Humanist?
A definition of humanism would be helpful. It is a word that is apt to get fuzzy Dr. Corliss Lamont, one of America’s leading humanist philosophers, has worked out a ten-point definition in his book The Philosophy of Humanism. Here these ten points have been condensed to five: 1. Humanism considers all forms of the supernatural as myth which man has developed in his long history to explain things he could not understand or control. It regards Nature as a constantly changing system of matter and energy which exists outside of any mind or consciousness. 2. Humanism believes that man is an evolutionary product of Nature, of which he is a part. 3. Humanism believes that human beings possess the power of solving their own problems; that they have a freedom of choice, although within certain objective limits. 4. Humanism holds as its highest goals this-worldly happiness, freedom and progress of all mankind. 5. Humanism believes in applying reason and scientific method to society – which mean
