:: Articles

What is Secular Humanism?

Secular Humanism is a philosophy that enforces the innate moral code that we all posses. The Council for Secular Humanism posts a list of tenets here, that outline the basic fundamentals of what secular humanists believe in.

They are:

• A requirement to test beliefs - Faith is not enough to say something is true. Every opinion that a person holds, should be weighed, tested and backed by evidence.
• Rationalization, Evidence, and Scientific Method - A secular humanist is strongly commited to science, and the natural study of the world. Consequently, all secular humanists are naturalists. Faith, proclamations, and dogmatic principles do not hold sway over a secular humanist in an argument.
• Aspiration for growth, fulfillment, and creativity - a commitment to both the individual and humanity-at-large.
• Seek out truth - Seek truth, using science, and constantly amend our imperfect view of reality.
• Commitment to this life - Since humanists do not believe in an afterlife, they must be fully committed to this one, and help all to be productive and happy.
• Be concerned with ethics - Search for viable individual, social and political principles of ethical conduct, judging them on their ability to enhance human well-being and individual responsibility.
• Communicate with understanding and reason - A conviction that with reason, an open marketplace of ideas, good will, and tolerance, progress can be made in building a better world for ourselves and our children.

While these tenets do not go into specifics about any particular socio-political matter, you can see how they can guide one towards a betterment of ideas and values that benefit oneself and people in general. While these ideas seem vague, these are essentially the replacement for the Judeo-Christian “Ten Commandments.” For instance, when one is concerned with ethics to enhance human well-being and individual responsibility, you can see that oft-quoted commandments are automatically included such as “thou shalt not kill,” and “thou shalt not steal.” However, this is a better guideline for present and future ethical dillemmas that arise in society such as whether abortion should be legal, whether homosexuals can marry, or whether abstinence-only education is a positive idea.

Why ‘Secular’?

The term Secular Humanism is to distinguish itself from other lines of humanism that allow for the possibility of a god or god(s). The frequented alternative is Religious Humanism, which contains philosophies that are contrary to what atheists believe (or have a lack of belief in). Religious Humanism generally contains ceremonies or rituals in order to experience a god or the presence of god. Religious Humanism is a philosophy that maintains the existence of a god, but frees itself from the dogma typically associated with religion, while upholding the positive moral standpoint that religion frequently endorses. There are several sects on religious humanism, which you can read about here.

Secular Humanism however, requires at least an agnostic view of god, although more frequently adherents are atheists. This is important, as this gives atheists the missing ‘moral code’ that they’re frequently accused of not possessing.

Are all atheists ’secular humanists’?

As with many of our other categorical labels, not everyone is applied to this category so neatly. Some atheists do not share a belief in secular humanism — for instance, some anti-theists may reject the last tenet of being understanding and compassionate to other’s beliefs. Thus, you cannot assume all atheists are secular humanists, but many are. The converse is generally true, all secular are non-theists (either agnostic, atheist, or general freethinker).

Do all secular humanists share the same view on topics?

Simply by the tenets of secular humanism, you can see how interpretation of them can place people on different sides of a debate. For instance, in the abortion debate - some may choose to interpret the ethics tenet to mean that killing a living being at any stage of development is ethically immoral, while some may interpret it that not allowing a woman to choose what to do with her body and life is ethically immoral. However secular humanism, unlike religious dogma, allows for a common middle ground on the topic - that depending on the state of the fetus, it may be moral to support the mother, and in other cases it may be moral to support the fetus. For instance, some countries choose to have a cut-off date in the pregnancy when the fetus is considered an individual unto itself (for instance after the second trimester). Religious viewpoints generally do not allow for such a position - they maintain that it is always wrong, from the moment a fetus is conceived.

If secular humanists can’t agree - what is the point?

While it’s true that not all secular humanists may share a vantage point on an issue, the tenets in place allow for a free discussion ideas, freed from religious tenets that typically include prejudice, hate, and bigotry. When everyone discussing a topic is trying to express an interest to maintain people’s freedoms and rights, differing points of view can be discussed in an open and rational manner. On top of that, all viewpoints can be backed by scientific evidence and ideas, which gives each position more credence.