humanisme

Humanisme is a philosophical and ethical stance that centers human dignity, agency, and the capacity to shape the world through reason, dialogue, and compassion. It places human experience and empirical understanding at the core of ethical and social judgment, often advocating ethics grounded in human needs rather than religious authority. The term encompasses a range of currents, from secular humanism to religious humanism.

Derived from the Latin word humanitas and the French term humanisme, the concept emerged in late medieval and Renaissance Europe as scholars revived classical Greek and Latin learning. Renaissance humanists sought to cultivate education, moral reflection, and civic virtue through philology and literature, influencing politics, culture, and pedagogy.

Renaissance humanism overlapped with Christian reform movements; Christian or Christian humanism, associated with Erasmus and other scholars, aimed to renew Christian life by returning to early sources. In the Enlightenment, humanist ideas connected reason, science, and universal rights, contributing to liberal thought and secular governance.

Modern secular humanism articulates a naturalistic worldview that upholds human rights, democracy, and scientific literacy, often advocating ethics without appeal to the supernatural. Religious humanism seeks meaning and ethical guidance within a religious tradition while affirming human dignity and social responsibility; some movements identify as cultural or philosophical rather than doctrinal.

Humanist ideas have shaped education, arts, and public policy, including debates about freedom of expression, secularism, and the role of religion in the state. Critics—often from religious perspectives—argue about grounding moral norms without transcendence, while proponents maintain that humanist frameworks address issues such as inequality, climate change, and global health through inclusive, evidence-based approaches.