The philosophy of the Humanist Fellowship of Ireland is underpinned by Anthropocenic Humanism. It reflects an evolution of the traditional understanding of Humanism, through an anthropocenic lens.
Humanists International define Humanism as:
“….. 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. Humanism stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethics based on human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. Humanism is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.”
Anthropocenic Humanists (AHs) build on and draw inspiration from the work of Humanists International, from this definition, and from the Amsterdam Declaration 2022. In promoting the interconnected nature of our existence, we extend this view, in highlighting the intricate connection we each have to one another, to the societies and cultures in which we live, past and present, and to our “more-than-human” world. Further we believe each individual, as well as each community, is part of a web of connectedness. Acknowledging this interconnectedness facilitates human and “more-than-human” flourishing and is necessary to truly begin our work of repairing this world.
What is the “anthropocene”?
The term ‘anthropocene’, reflects the period of time in which we now live, in terms of the evolution of this world. Our the current ‘epoch’ as it were, is described as the anthropocene[i] (although this is still being debated in some circles). It is the geological age in which the greatest impact on the planet comes from the behaviour of the human species, as evidenced through our current global climate crisis.
Anthropocenic Humanists believe we must de-centre the ‘human’, philosophically and ethically, in order to better understand and appreciate the word in which we live, and the relationships fostered therein, from both spiritual and rational world views. Further, Anthropocenic Humanists believe we must de-centre the ‘human’, practically, in order to begin the vital work of repairing our world.
AHs recognise that the human person cannot flourish without accepting their embeddedness in and reliance on their relationships and societies, extended and enriched through an intentional connection to the natural world.
[i] https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/anthropocene
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