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Vegeta asked in Arts & HumanitiesPhilosophy · 7 months ago

Can someone explain humanism and anti-humanism for me in understandable terms?

I thought that its merely a synonym for philantrophy but turns out that its not.

It refers to rejection of revelation and scripture but how is it different from materialism and atheism.

Antihumanism is the rejection of humanistic ideals.

I have also read that humanism elevates human beings to a metaphysical level. I also did not understand that line.

6 Answers

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  • 7 months ago

    to love is to be human and to hate is anti humanism or animalistic behaviour.

  • j153e
    Lv 7
    7 months ago

    Simply,

    "human-ism" generally denies God, Soul, and suchlike.  Rather, the human ego and its feelings are the criteria for action,

    and,

    "anti-human-ism" is a godless critique of human-ism, as human-ism is for anti-human-ists too idealistc--i.e., anti-human-ism is more materialistic.

    An example of anti-human-ism is "neuroexistentialism"--not only is life meaningless, but there is no "unified human self"...all through the house, not even a Sartre, not even a Nietzsche.

    Here, the explanation becomes less simple (warning).  It is ironic that the human-ist posits a straw religious person, obedient to the letter but not of the Love of Spirit, which then allows the outplaying of whatever human patterns the human-ist favors.  Clearly, the human-ist has no understanding of divine Love, as that would tie her to God, and to loving colleague as Self.  The human-ist, lacking divine Love, valorizes its cherished human emotions as the standard of good, of right--Kant's basic position.  The further irony is the reasonable extension of humanism into scientism, which finds no "there" there--the human ego is a non-entity, full of sound and emo, signifying nothing--the same position as Saint Paul realized about the carnal (or human-ist) mind.  Thus it is more accurate to show so-called "human-ism" and "anti-human-ism" as simply human (or carnal) ego and neuroexistentialism, respectively, with Kierkegaard's Knight of Faith, or Jacob's ladder of angel messages, or Paul's encounter with Light, as the only general alternative to the existential void so noted by Nietzsche (which he then proceeded to skirt around, in favor of developing his individual human greatness), and also noted by Sartre as the truth of non-Godly existing, which led Sartre to the rational hedonism of "make the best of what you've got."  Caring for others is possible for genuine religious, for humanly caring human-ists, and for existentialists, even neuroexistentialists.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panentheism is an example of the spectrum of options in which even some humanists may find some comfort a la Jacob's "God is in this, and I knew it not."  This is all related to Pascal's wager, in which a daily investment of quietly sitting and loving God for a few minutes helps bring infinite reward.  Most people know what love is--a rose blossom, a smile, etc.--and hence loving God with gratitude and happiness for a few minutes daily, even if God is the "unknown God" of the Athenians, is progressive, and a good bet.

  • 7 months ago

    Having just skimmed through some of your other questions, I'm beginning to understand why you picked the name "Vegeta".

  • Anonymous
    7 months ago

    You can learn worthwhile details about Humanism at the American Humanist Association web site.

    https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/

    "Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good."

    "Humanism is a democratic and ethical lifestance 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 ethics based on human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality." – Humanists International

    In simple terms, humanism is a belief that morality and ethics are defined within the social order and the goal in life is the betterment (improvement) of humanity. We are not servants nor children of a deity, and instead are caretakers of a planet and pass it on to future generations. We are to be kind, helpful, generous, of high integrity, forthright, protective of other people and the oppressed, respectful of other people, moral and ethical BECAUSE we are humans and that's the right way to be. It is not because of threats nor promises from a book or preacher. Rewards are not based on belief in a person or deity. Rewards are that it's good to do good things. When someone is hungry and you provide him/her food, you don't do it for a ticket to heaven, you do it because that person needed food, and you were able to provide it and give a gift of generosity and that feels good.

    Humanism elevates people to a higher level of morality and rewards, not done for promises or threats, and that is a spiritual or metaphysical feeling.

    Person A gives to charity because a book he believes in says to give to charity, and person A will be rewarded in afterlife for his good deed.

    Person B gives to charity, or to an individual in need, simply because it's the right thing to do. We share this planet. Other people need our help. Good people help other people. Person B's reward is to feel good about himself for doing the right thing.

    Person A is a theist, Person B is a humanist.

    Person C is a Christian and believes in Jesus and goes to Church on Sunday mornings and owns a restaurant. He tells the waiters and waitresses that it is part of their job to set up the tables before their shift and clear before leaving. Their time "on the clock" is only the standard restaurant hours and they receive wages for those hours plus tips.

    Person D is a humanist and has no religious affiliation. He pays waiters and waitresses from the time they arrive until they leave and tips are theirs. He raises the menu prices as necessary to cover the extra costs.      

    Who is the better Christian? Person C. Who is the better human being? Person D.

    That is the difference, and Pope Francis has discussed that God will judge and has little issue with Person D but calls Person C a hypocrite Christian who goes through the motions but does not really understand. 

    Anti-humanism does not need to be discussed. It can take many forms.

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  • Anonymous
    7 months ago

    Secular humanism is the universal belief system of the future .. embracing all of humanity equally...no more countries, no borders, no divisive stupid religions, no inequality, no racism, no more wars..we are all Earthlings free to come and go as we please anywhere on the planet..

  • Anonymous
    7 months ago

    NO....TIRH...GOD TO HOMEWORK HELP...

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