Empowerment
- Bereavement Counseling
- SOUTH AFRICA vs GENOCIDE
- Need to talk?
- THE NIGHT WON'T END
- WORLD BEYOND WAR
- Death with Dignity
- INEQUALITY IN SCOTLAND
- UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
- PETITION UK - ASSISTED DYING - JANUARY 2024
- PETITIONS
- STATEMENT FROM DIRECTOR OF STONEWALL SCOTLAND
- HUMANISM: RELEVANCE TO SOCIETY
- Humanist Actions
- Humanists International
- Humanism > Decrees
- Education > religious
- Education
- Creationism refuted
- National Secular Society
- Parity in being
- Community Cohesion
- Humanism in Scotland Constitution & Standing Orders
- Make a difference
- Who we're involved with
Education
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
Children are born with a natural sense of curiosity and wonder and as their tiny view of the world expands, they begin to find answers to the puzzles that surround them. We all know an inquisitive child who asks "WHY" in response to everything we say. It is wonderful they ask and it's not their fault that most of us can only provide them with a few satisfactory answers. All we can do is keep the magic and wonder of the earth alive. School then guides these young minds on their path of knowledge and gradually, a world populated with facts and fiction begins to open up before them. The complexity of life on Earth starts to reveal itself and the Universe transforms a child's wonder of tiny things into the daunting and endless wonder of space. Our minds begin a lifelong journey of zooming out and zooming in, over and over again.
Knowledge literally is mind-blowing and education is the fundamental means by which children can learn about our world.
So where does a rational science-based concept like Humanism fit in with all this and how does humanism's philosophical and ethical life view compete with two thousand years of mythology, superstition and story-telling?
On a UK level, there is a strategy to raise awareness from an early age and lots of guidance and resource material is available.
The plan is to develop the core knowledge of children so that they understand the mysteries of the world can be explained in many ways. They don't have to accept what they are told. Humanism can teach children to keep asking "WHY?"
You can read more on the UK Humanists website
Also here's the new website and service for teachers, parents, and anyone else looking to teach about Humanism.
Five common features of a humanist approach to life:
1) Humanists believe that human beings have natural origins. We evolved naturally like all other living things. We have evolved many capacities and, if we put them to good use, we have the potential to lead good and happy lives.
2) Humanists believe the world is a natural place with no supernatural side (they will be atheists or agnostics). They believe that science and the search for evidence provides the best way to answer our questions about the world.
3) Humanists believe this is the one life we have and so we need to make the most of it. For humanists, there is no single ‘ultimate’ meaning of life. Instead, it is up to us to make our own lives meaningful. They believe we should be free to decide how we live (as long as we do not cause harm to others), seeking happiness and supporting others to do the same.
4) Humanists believe that the origins of our moral capacities lie inside human beings and our evolution as social animals. They believe that, when deciding how to act, we should use reason and empathy, considering the consequences of our actions and the likely impact on other people and animals.
5) Humanists believe that human beings alone are responsible for making the world a better place. Many campaign for equality, human rights, and secularism. Many celebrate the progress humanity has made, but recognise the work that is still to be done.
Descriptive not prescriptive
It is important that Humanist beliefs and values are not presented as a doctrine or creed that humanists must sign up to, or a set of instructions on how a humanist must behave. Instead, they describe the typical beliefs and values held, and the approach to life taken by humanists. It is perhaps more appropriate to understand ‘humanist’ as a descriptive label that can be applied to those who adopt such an approach to life. There are people who hold these beliefs, values, and goals, and the word ‘humanist’ can be used to describe them.
In that sense, the word operates differently from many religious labels. A Christian, Muslim, or Hindu will normally adopt the label (or be labelled) as (or before) they develop the associated beliefs and practices. In contrast, a humanist will typically discover the label after (sometimes long after) they have already formed the associated beliefs. There is no compulsion to self-identify. While around 5% of the UK population adopt the label ‘humanist’, many more will hold a humanist worldview, but will not use the word to describe themselves.
Read and download the CORE KNOWLEDGE GUIDE
