Humanism Encyclopedia Article

Humanism

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Humanism

A perspective or doctrine that focuses primarily on the interests, capacities, and achievements of human beings. This focus on human concerns has led some to conclude that human beings have rightful dominion over the earth and that their interests and well-being are paramount and take precedence over all other considerations. Religious humanism, for instance, generally holds that God made human beings in His own image and put them in charge of His creation. Secular humanism views human beings as the source of all value or worth. Some environmentally-minded critics, such as Lynn White Jr., and David Ehrenfeld claim that much environmental destruction can be traced to "the arrogance of humanism."