humanism

noun

Meaning

A philosophical stance that emphasizes the value, agency, and rationality of human beings, often advocating for secular ethics and social progress.

Examples

  • Renaissance humanism shifted the intellectual focus of Europe toward classical literature and the study of human potential.
  • The secular humanism movement promotes the idea that morality can be derived from human experience rather than divine revelation.

Synonyms: secularism, altruism, rationalism, philanthropy