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'''Humanism''' is a an essentially [[atheism|atheistic]] philosophy from the European [[Renaissance]] (based on classical philosophy). It places humanity and the [[Materialism|material ]] at the center of philosophical inquiry and downplays the need for rejects [[God]] and [[religion]]. It had a major impact in shaping modern art and ways of thought, in particular [[liberal]] [[junk science]].
==Origins==
A movement that developed in [[Renaissance]] Europe, with the rediscovery of classical Greek and Latin works that had been thought lost, Humanism sought to return to "original sources". It argued that the height of western civilization had been in the classical period, and with the fall of Rome, most knowledge had been lost, and the much of the knowledge that remained had been corrupted by false traditions. It was the responsibility of the scholar, therefore, to rediscover the original Greek and Latin texts, and separate real wisdom from false interpretation.
This movement had a profound effect on society, and, with its emphasis on classical texts and the rejection of much of the [[Roman Catholic]] religious tradition that developed in the Middle Ages, helped lead to the [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[Reformation]], and, in fact, some many of the new humanist Bibles[[Liberal Bible Translations|liberal Bible translations]], such as [[Erasmus]]'s Greek New Testament, were important sources for both [[Martin Luther]]'s translation of the Bible and the King James Version of the Bible. See the [[Conservative Bible Project]].
Humanists also looked to Ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration as to how to develop society and political structures. The poet [[Petrarch]] rediscovered writings by the ancient Roman orator and politician [[Cicero]], and Cicero's ideas about the role and structure of government inspired the humanists to reconsider established views about society and call for expanded civic participation in the state. In addition to Cicero, other classical sources were also consulted and referred to. [[Niccolo Machiavelli]] wrote his "Discourses on Livy", in which he commented on the history of ancient Rome written by the Roman historian [[Livy]], and used Livy's history to show the virtues of the Roman Republic and how a republican state should behave.
==Secular Humanism==
<blockquote>"Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality."</blockquote>
