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What does Humanism mean

...for the individual?

That we must accept responsibility for our own lives; that we should pursue positive ideals and develop our personal potential; that we should enjoy life to the full in ways that respect the well-being of others.

...for society?

That communities need to pursue positive ideals; that all states should promote open societies in which difference of opinion and lifestyle are accepted and state institutions are not biased towards any particular interest group; that societies ensure universal human rights and help their members to play a full part at all levels within their community.

...for human relationships?

That we need each other and should care for each other; that we should treat other people as well as we want them to treat us; that respect, compassion and practical help are therefore fundamental values.

...for the world?

That the future of humankind and the natural world lies in our hands alone; that individuals and nations must be more responsible and cooperative if present and future generations are to benefit from, rather than suffer for, the advantages the industrialised nations now have; that we should provide everyone with the security and means to control population growth; and that we must ensure that economic and social development respects the value and interdependence of all forms of life.

The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles and Values

• We are committed to the application of reason and science, to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems. This must be combined with sensitivity and compassion
• We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance to achieve an open and pluralist society
• We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life
• We are committed to the separation of Church and State
• We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be able to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed healthcare and to die with dignity
• We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics are amenable to critical, rational guidance
• We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species
• We attempt to transcend any divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity
• We believe in individual happiness; in developing our creative talents to their fullest, and in the realisation of the best that we are capable of as human beings
• We are deeply concerned with the moral education of children. We want to nourish reason and compassion
• We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences
• We are sceptical of untested claims to knowledge, but we are open to new ideas and seek new departures in our thinking
• We affirm Humanism as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service of others. Humanism is a realistic alternative to theologies of pessimism and ideologies of violence