Teach Yourself Humanism

by Mark Vernon

Discover humanism and its role in our world What do Plato, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, Einstein, and Dawkins have in common? They all share broad humanist beliefs. Whether you want to find out more about the history and development of humanism, are studying the subject in class, or are aware of its increasing prominence in our society today and want to investigate it further, Teach Yourself Humanism is a comprehensive guide to this important and diverse philosophy. This book delves into the history and development of humanist thought and addresses the many questions that surround humanism today. Why is humanism important? What implications does humanist thought have on our society as a whole and the way in which it is governed? How does humanism differ from agnosticism and atheism? How does humanism deal with birth, marriage and death? Addressing all of these key questions, Teach Yourself Humanism is a fascinating read.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 29, 2008

Reviews

[Jordan Phizacklea-Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As comprehensive and jargon-free an introduction you could ask for to a complex but fascinating philosophy.

[Life Without Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book at a garage sale for $1 and it's been worth wayyy more than that. It sat for a long time in the leaning tower of books to read and I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner. It took me months to get through it because the author had so many references to books and authors I hadn't read I kept putting it down to go read up on them. The author also has a great writing style, almost as if it's you and him sitting down having coffee which makes the book a real pleasure to read. The book is well laid out in sections that starts with what is humanism and takes you through renaissance humanism, enlightenment humanism, various contemporary humanism's like Marxism, existentialists and ends with humanism as a way of life. At the back of the book is a list of books for further reading - boy did my wish list grow. I just can't say enough good things about it, this is one book that won't find it's way to a garage sale and will have a permanent home on my bookshelf.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very balanced overview of humanism that encourages discussion and contemplation by presenting many varied perspectives. The author makes it very clear when he is presenting his own opinion but otherwise does a good job of staying out of the way of the material.

The historical overview in the first half of the book is somewhat scattered. It is clear the author is struggling to condense many lives and thoughts into single paragraphs. But this eventually gives way to a highly satisfying look at Darwinism and its relation to humanism and philosophy in general, as well as other more contemporary issues such as environmentalism, gender equality, and religious (and atheistic) extremism.

Humanism was a term I had long been curious about, and while this book demonstrates its definition is far from settled, I certainly identified with much of what lays at its core.

Highly recommended read.

[Susannah]

very clear. good for those of you who want to teach humanism.

[Syam Ahmedarino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good good. Nice arrangement of chapter. Very recommended for beginners.