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Humanism is an important subject that has been in existence, as a philosophy, since the Renaissance in the 1500's. Yet few know what humanism means, and what it refers to. This paper will provide definitions of humanism, as well as a brief history. With these in mind, thus, one is better prepared to then understand the philosophy and, if needed, apply it to daily life.
As a definition, humanism means, according to the Free Dictionary, any of four things: Web. 30 Oct. 2011. .]
as a philosophy, it signified "the denial of any power or moral value superior to that of humanity" as well as the rejection of religion in favor of a belief in the ability of humanity and its advancement through its own efforts;
it can also signify the philosophical position that "stresses the autonomy of human reason in contradistinction to the authority of the Church";
In order to dig deeper, however, one can also-based humanism definitions on the following ten points, offered as a guidance to a better understanding of the philosophy. As humanism got its start during the Renaissance, and was further impacted by the Enlightenment, one can surely state that one of the most important aspects of humanism is its complete rejection of religion and its complete approval of humanity's abilities. Humanism has, needless…
8. believes that a human can attain the good life by "combining personal satisfactions and continuous self-development with significant work and other activities that contribute to the welfare of the community";
9. believes in the awareness of beauty;
10. believes in the complete social implementation of reason and the scientific method.[footnoteRef:2] [2: All points and quotations taken from: "The 10 Points of Humanism: A Definition." IHumanism | An Internet Humanist Community. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.ihumanism.org/intro/10points.html>.]
One cannot look at humanism and the Renaissance without looking at how each influenced religious thought. In fact, the most significant difference between the Renaissance and the Middle Ages is "where God had previously been the centre, Man now takes this place" (Dresden 13). Man in now the focal point of the world and he is the "centre of all that is taking place" (12). The most "corrosive impact"
The Catholic Church was forced to react and respond to the Protestant Reformation. This can be seen in the music of Palestrina. The Council of Trent resolved to eliminate the use of secular and ornate music during masses, which it saw as part of the 'worldly excesses' condemned by Protestants. Palestrina composed masses with a "purer, more restrained style" (Sherrane 2008). Palestrina brought forth a resurgent interest in plainsong, "each
This work provided an intensive discussion historical forces that were to lead to modern humanism but also succeeds in placing these aspects into the context of the larger social, historical and political milieu. . Online sources and databases proved to be a valid and often insightful recourse area for this topic. Of particular note is a concise and well-written article by Stephen Weldon entitled Secular Humanism in the United States.
Renaissance humanism refers to a period of history where there was a move away from the ideas of State and religion as the basis of society and a move towards human experience and interaction. It was a rebirth in that it rejected the ideas of the Middle Ages and reinvented the ideas of the ancient philosophers. The basis of it was a return to the study of the humanities which
The classic example of this type of conditioning is the feeding of Pavlov's dog, in which the dog is provided with two unrelated stimuli (food at the sound of the bell). After a time, the dog, upon hearing the bell, begins to salivate, even though food is withheld from the subject. The dog "learns" that the bell sound means food, without the dog undergoing any cognitive processing or thinking
Poetry in particular is seen by some as being irrelevant in terms of practical skills. However, teachers also state that the study of poetry also helps the student to learn the subtle nuances of language and the way that words can function on many levels and in other fields and disciplines. For instance, knowledge of poetry and the intricate connotations of language usage can even be useful in the