Humanism

Contextualizing An overview

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Contextualizing An overview:

Humanism is a philosophical system centered to human being. It concerns about the

human being, their place and position in relation to the world. It studies about the

present and future of human being. It raises voices for the common interest and

betterment of human being. It seeks respects for human dignity. Its aim is to free

human being from all types of injustice and atrocities. It strives to create beautiful and

harmonies world based on justice, love and fraternity. It does not believe on any

supernatural and omnipotent power like God and Goddess. It believes in the capability

and dignity of human being. Man is the center if its study. So , it gives a supreme value

and responsibility to man. Humanism assumes that if there is something that can make

human life worth and livable that is nothing other than human being. It keeps a firm

belief that the present word can be changed with the effort if human being. It attempts

to fraternity right relation between man and man based on love, co- operation and

fraternity. For this it appeals for the unity and good understanding among human

being. ‘ The American Heritage dictionary defines humanism as, “a system of thought

that centers on human being and their values, capacities and worth”. Similarly

,’Webster’s New world dictionary’ defines it as “any system of thought or action based

on atheistic, rationalistic movement that holds man is capable of self fulfillment, ethical

conduct etc without recourse to any supernaturalism.” The above dictionary meanings

too show the same idea about the concept of humanism. Humanism is a system of

thought based on secularism. It is atheistic in its spirit. It is free from dogmatic views like

castiesm, supernatural belief, and orthodox etc. Dr. D. R. Jatava in his book, Social and

Humanist Thinker writes, “humanism means the type of thought that is centered on

man himself that raises question concerning his ultimate nature, and tries to answer

them without transcending the limits of what is human”(vi). M. Patrosyan in his book

Humanism writes, “the concept of humanism is traditionally linked with the question of

man’s place in the universe, his today and tomorrow”(8). The aforementioned

definitions also reveal that humanism is a philosophy that makes man the center of its

study. It attempts to change the world into a more beautiful and harmonious one. In

fact, human life is praiseworthy and beautiful, but due to the lack of our understanding,

excessive pride, ignorance, and blind beliefs have fettered our life. However, humanism

still tries to bring and maintain order, peace, unity and harmony in the world. About

humanism, similar idea does Radhakamal Mukergee give in book, The Way of

Humanism, “ humanism may be defined as an integrated system of human meaning,

goal and values and harmonious programme of human fulfillment individual and

collective”(1). Humanism, in brief, can be taken as a philosophical system based on

scientific and rational ground. It fights for the common interest of all human being. Its

main objective is to create the better and beautiful world. Many times , we are

confused with the words-humanism and humanitarianism, but they are quite different.

Humanism is a philosophical system based on reason, thought and certain principle. But

humanitarianism is a personal feeling, emotion and sentiment of doing something good

for other fellow-human being who are in trouble. It is a feeling of amelioration. So,

humanitarianism is a personal but humanism is social and universal system Humanism:

Greek Humanism

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Greek Humanism:

The study of history shows that a systematic study of humanism as a movement started

from ancient Greek for about 6^th century B.C. The first notable humanists in ancient

Greek civilization were Sophsists. They raised the voices against the religious authority

of Athenian. Sophists began to think from a rational ground. In the book Western

Civilization Marrin Perry et al. observes about the humanistic role played by sophists in

ancient Greek in these words, “the western humanistic traditions owes much to the

sophists, who examined political and ethical problems. Cultivated the minds of their

students and invented formal secular education”(71). Perry further writes, “Sophist

asserted that slavery was based on force or chance, the people were neither slaves nor

master by nature, and they also held that all people were fundamentally alike “(71). So,

sophists had played a signification role in starting the humanism tradition in ancient

Greek. Protagoras (481-411 B.C.) was another person , who is known as a notable

humanist of ancient Greek. He challenged the traditional belief of Athenians. He boldly

declared that man is the measure of all things(Perry,71). Protagoras wanted to assert

that good and evils, truth and falsehood, were the mater of individual judgment. He

again proclaimed that there was no universal standards that apply to all people at all

time. Protagoras attacked the traditional religions and moral values of Athenian society.

Unfortunately he was banished and his works were burnt down. Another great

humanist of Greek time was Socrates (469-399 B.C.). He emphasized on self

knowledge. He believed that reason was the only proper guide to the most crucial

problem of human existence. He taught that rational inquiry was a priceless tool, which

allowed to test opinion, weigh the merits of ideas and alter belief on the base of

knowledge. Perry mention, “Socrates wanted to subject all human belief and behavior

to the clear light of reason, and , in this way to remove ethics from the realm of

authority, tradition, dogma superstition and myth”(73). These are just a few examples

of the western humanists of ancient period. Individual freedom and personal dignity

were the fundamental question raised by the ancient Greek humanists. Not only in the

western countries but also in the eastern, there were many humanists in ancient period

. Gautam Buddha in Nepal (563-483 B.C.). Mahavir in India (500 B.C) and Confucius in

China were great championists of ancient humanism. Love and compassion for Buddha,

external world or matter for Mahavir and morals , man and state Confucius was the

main things in their humanism.

Renaissance Humanism

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Renaissance Humanism:

When we come to the medieval period, humanism developed quite differently than that

of ancient period. In medieval time, the concept of humanism was broadly used during

the Renaissance period. In Renaissance period, humanism was used for those who

learned and taught the subjects related to the faculty of Humanity, for e.g. poetry,

rhetoric, criticism, grammar, history, language, art etc. In other words those persons

were thought to be humanist who taught the imaginative subjects different from less

imaginative like mathematics, science, natural philosophy and theology. H.M. Abrahams

mentions about a Renaissance humanism:

Renaissance humanism assumed the dignity and central position of

human beings in the universe, emphasized the importance of the study

of the study of classical imaginative and philosophical literature, although

with emphasis on its moral and practical rather than its aesthetic values:

and insisted on the primacy, in ordering human life, of reason(considered

the distinctively human faculty) as opposed to the instinctual appetite

and the animal passions.(83)

Renaissance humanism was a break from the medieval tradition of thought. The

Christianitydominated medieval thinking. Medieval men believed in the presence of God,

Jesus Christ, devil and demos. They thought that their life and the world were supported by

some diving power. But Renaissance humanist played very important role to break the

traditional concept. They began to think on the rational ground. De Lamor Jensen in the book

‘Renaissance Europe’ observes, “There was an implied acceptance of the worth of earthly

existence for its own sake and a deep-rooted revolt against the ‘other-worldliness’ associated

with medieval Christanity”(103). Renaissance humanist glorified the man and his power.

Anther important aspect of Renaissance humanism was that it gave high regards and

importance to the study of ancient writes and enriched the store of knowledge. Greek classical

works and writes were models for the Renaissance humanists. Erasmar (1466-1536) and

Petarch (1304-1374) of Italy were great humanism of this period. What Renaissance humanists,

in short, did-they broke the medieval concept of people, focused on classical literature, and

gave high importance to the present life. Radhkamal Mukerjhee writes, “Man endeavored in

this age (Renaissance) to free himself from the thralldom of the classical despotism and shalter

all mental barriers imposed by medieval orthodoxy”(97).

Modern Humanism

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Modern Humanism:

In modern period, humanism shifts from the earlier interpretation. Humanism has taken

divers forms in modern period. In this regard, H. M. Abrahams writes, “ in our time,

‘humanist’ often connotes a person who bases truth on human experience and bases

values on human nature and culture, as distinct from people who regards religious

revelation as the guarantor of all truth and values”(83). The humanist outlook of

modern period differs from the ancient and medieval period. Science and its impact has

widely effected in the outlook of modern humanistic tradition. In modern period, the

idea of humanism is exercised in different field, like politics, literature, religion etc. In

modern period, Francis Bacon is recognized as a notable humanist. He declared that

‘knowledge is power’. He attacked against the scholasticism. He started to think from

inductive method. Another recognized humanist in the beginning of modern period was

Thomas Hobbes(1588-1679). He was a materialist, rationalist and empiricist. In David

Daiches’s words, “Hobbes broke completely with tradition and endeavored to work out

a new science of man by the application of natural reason to the understanding of

bodies”(496). He pointed out the necessity of civil state to maintain peace and order

among human being. In his views all men are equal both in term of body and mind. John

Locke was another distinguished humanist of the 18^th century. He influenced the whole

thinking of the 18^th century. He sought to free man from every form of absolute

arbitrary power. In the 19^th century, great humanists appeared in the field of politics as

well as literature. Marx ,Engels and Lenin are the great humanists of the modern period

especially who belong to the west. They influenced to spread humanistic outlook in

both politics and literature. They have emphasized on class struggle for the ultimate

peace and harmony of the society. Apart from them, we find several great humanist

thinkers who have exercised the idea of humanism. The name of Martin Luther

King(1929-1968) in America and Nelson Mandela(1918-) in South Africa are notable

humanist who have fought against the racial discrimination. In the East , Mahatma

Gandhi, Jawharlal Nehru and Mao-tse Tung are regarded as the great fighters of

humanism. Mao-tse Tung belongs to the Marxist humanistic tradition. Gandhi and

Nehru belong to the liberal democratic tradition of humanism. Gandhi and Nehru see

the emancipation of human being in individual freedom, democracy and socialism

through the way of peace and nonviolence. In the field of literature, the names of Leo

Tolstoy, Dickens,

Gorky in the west, and Rabindra Nath Tagor, Prem Chand, Sarad Chandra and Mulk Raj

Anand in the East come to the humanists tradition of literature. In this way, humanism

in the 20^th century has a widespread impact in different fields.