the doctrine that people's duty is to promote human welfare
<noun.cognition>
the doctrine emphasizing a person's capacity for self-realization through reason; rejects religion and the supernatural
<noun.cognition>
the cultural movement of the Renaissance; based on classical studies
<noun.group>
Humanism \Hu"man*ism\, n. 1. Human nature or disposition; humanity.
[She] looked almost like a being who had rejected with indifference the attitude of sex for the loftier quality of abstract humanism. --T. Hardy.
2. The study of the humanities; polite learning.
3. A doctrine or ethical point of view that emphasizes the dignity and worth of individual people, rejects claims of supernatural influences on humans, and stresses the need for people to achieve improvement of society and self-fulfillment through reason and to develop human-oriented ethical values without theism. [PJC]
These involved the teaching of "secular humanism," a vaguely defined set of values that its critics say are antithetical to religious beliefs.
Calvinism vs. humanism, the call of conscience vs. the promptings of pleasure: The Dutch were a society of exuberant paradox and competing loyalties.
As for director Rob Reiner, he still has enough loose-change humanism from earlier (better) films like When Harry Met Sally to give this juggernaut the occasional jingle of wit, charm and spontaneity. The Bodyguard is in more serious trouble.
The pope attacked secular humanism and indirectly criticized communist and religious fundamentalist governments in his address to the parliamentarians.
Here is a young Depression kid (Jesse Bradford) growing up in St Louis, amid images washed in radical humanism with a cupful of 'Nostalgia' fabric-softener throw in. One almost hears the director's voice.
The Supreme Court today turned down the appeal of a philosophy professor denied an opportunity to address Congress about secular humanism during the lawmakers' daily moments of opening prayer.
Or one which issues fatwahs against a British citizen and forces him into hiding? Secular humanism is a kind of faith; so is Scientology.
The Academy voters gave their prized trophy without concern for chauvinism and with a pervading prejudice for humanism.
Locke developed his philosophy within the framework of the humanism and political enlightenment of the 17th century.
A U.S. judge in Mobile banned the use in nearly all Alabama public school classrooms of 31 textbooks cited for illegally promoting "the religion of secular humanism."