Humanly Possible Summary

Humanism is the celebration of our capacity to learn, to empathize, and to create without reliance on divine intervention; but rather, a reliance on humanity itself.

1: The Foundations of Humanism

Humanism is a credo that affirms our ability to think independently and value human dignity while achieving moral understanding through shared conscience rather than scripture. It thrives on curiosity and the pursuit of the good in human endeavors. Its core is asking "What makes us human?" and believing progress stems from rationality and empathy.

Looking back to fourteenth-century thinkers like Petrarch and Boccaccio, we see the framework for modern humanism taking shape. Petrarch rejected a life dictated by his father's profession, choosing instead to pursue literature passionately. He rescued ancient texts and cherished learning. Likewise, Boccaccio used his storytelling – most famously in The Decameron – to connect and reflect the human condition, even during times of widespread suffering like the Black Death.

The ability to ask questions and cherish intellectual exploration has defined humanists for centuries. Their commitment to preserving and expanding human knowledge reminds us that a core component of being human is to care for our history and learn from it.

Examples

• Petrarch's obsession with preserving historical manuscripts.
• Boccaccio's The Decameron, rich with human stories during the bubonic plague.
• The revival of neglected Greek and Roman texts by humanists of the Renaissance.

2: Christine de Pizan and Early Feminist Voices in Humanism

Despite a male-dominated tradition, women like Christine de Pizan proved humanists didn't need to be men to make extraordinary intellectual contributions. In fifteenth-century Europe, educational opportunities for women were unique, and women like Pizan stood out entirely.

Pizan’s literary career began out of necessity after her husband’s untimely death. She wrote books to support her family, with her The Book of the City of Ladies standing out as a monumental work celebrating women’s intellect and capabilities. This text responded to Boccaccio, offering a compilation of tales focusing on women’s achievements. It proved that education and ability transcended gender, even in a society deeply dismissive of women's contributions.

Pizan’s work paved the way for future women in the humanist tradition, showing that ideas of equality and intellectual recognition could be acknowledged even centuries ago. Her legacy lies in her resilience and the challenges she broke through.

Examples

• The Book of the City of Ladies featured female-centered stories.
• Christine supported her entire family through her literary works.
• She used patronage and her intellect to establish herself as a writer.

3: Freethinking in a World of Conformity

One of humanism's core principles is the empowerment of freethinking. Hamza bin Walayat’s modern story exemplifies how questioning orthodoxy has always been a part of the humanist journey. Walayat sought asylum in the UK due to his humanist beliefs, which he feared would lead to persecution in Pakistan.

Freethinking encourages humanity to question, explore, and wonder beyond the constraints of ideology or imposed norms. Erasmus of Rotterdam championed this in his lifetime by rejecting cruelty, celebrating diversity, and advocating for a broad-ranging education. His writings proposed that human kindness, observation, and experience were much stronger guides than fear or punishment.

By allowing societies to flourish on openness and exploration, freethinking has enabled neuroscience, arts, politics, and ethics to engage deeply with the broad tapestry of human ideas. It moves away from absolutes and embraces personal conscience.

Examples

• Erasmus categorizing diversity as central to life’s experiences.
• Montaigne's essays demonstrating individual minds freely exploring complex topics.
• Modern organizations like Humanists UK safeguarding humanist rights and freedoms.

4: The Value of Empathy in Practice

Kindness and empathy have emerged as recurring themes among humanists. Erasmus believed humans are fundamentally shaped for peace, pointing to physical traits like arms meant for hugging and eyes that emote. Empathy for others forms the moral bedrock for acceptance, connection, and selfless action.

This belief was reaffirmed by Michel de Montaigne, who advocated humane tolerance even when Europe's civil wars spurred rampant violence. He abhorred intolerance and countered devil-chasing prosecutors with essays reflecting life’s simple joys.

Empathy teaches us moral action isn't just for personal gain but for societal harmony. It helps develop mutual understanding, breaking barriers that lead to discrimination or violence.

Examples

• Erasmus’s argument that human acts of tenderness stem from innate traits.
• Montaigne writing in favor of rational coexistence amidst religious strife.
• Studies of compassionate behavior shaping ethics and decision-making today.

5: Humanism’s Response to Disaster

The Enlightenment brought novel views on how humanity could and should respond to disaster, divinely or otherwise. Voltaire's Candide challenged the age's prevailing view – that all events, even tragedies, were part of a benevolent God’s perfect plan.

The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 spurred Voltaire to criticize such fatalistic thinking, which ignored human ability to mitigate suffering and pursue solutions. His story emphasized human agency to act pragmatically in the face of adversity rather than passively accepting it as predestined.

This philosophy contributed significantly to scientific advancements. Progress became intertwined with humanism – earthquakes demanded engineering innovations, and medicine relied on rigorous discovery over divine predetermination.

Examples

• Voltaire’s criticism of passive faith-based disaster explanations in Candide.
• Engineering advancements in earthquake-resistant designs.
• Theory-driven medical research overcoming fatalistic healthcare.

6: Cataloging the Past for Humanity's Future

Preservation of art, literature, and science ties humanism to our shared history. Starting with Petrarch’s manuscript-collecting mania, humanists interrupted the erosion of knowledge, cataloging and safeguarding wisdom for subsequent generations.

Such efforts extend to modern libraries and digital archiving projects. From Montaigne’s essays to Voltaire’s philosophies, humanists elevated preservation beyond mere nostalgia: it prioritizes progress. If records of human struggles, successes, and musings didn’t exist, humanity couldn’t collectively build upon those achievements.

Preserving cultural legacy isn’t only about dusty bookshelves; it serves as humanity’s map for reflection, inspiration, and progress.

Examples

• Petrarch sending friends on manuscript hunts.
• Modern digital archives connecting learners globally.
• Libraries ensuring historical documents like Montaigne’s personal drafts remain viewed widely.

7: Navigating Fascism and Modern Risks

The atrocities of the twentieth century, like fascism, tested the bounds of humanism. Writers and thinkers like Thomas Mann saw the urgency in standing against anti-humanist forces. Mann chose not to stay silent.

Often forced into exile, Mann’s speeches advocated hope against tyranny. From California, during WWII, his work emphasized human dignity when systems worked against humanity. Following these difficult times, the Humanist Manifesto of 1952 helped reassert humanist values to new generations.

Resistance to oppressive ideologies has remained key in humanist movements. By nurturing hope, Mann highlighted human capacity to rebuild philosophies under siege.

Examples

• Mann's fictional criticism of Nazi ideals in Doctor Faustus.
• Mann’s compelling broadcasts to inform German citizens post-WWII.
• Humanist Manifesto revival emphasizing equality ethics.

8: Enlightenment from Multiple Perspectives

The Enlightenment reshaped how humanists prioritized awareness over doctrines. Emphasizing secular discussions suggested human beings’ situations could equally hold importance next to religious interpretations. Deism arose, accepting divinity but as detached from worldly interference.

This allowed humanists to improve problem-solving. The focus shifted to promoting long-term ideas that tangibly improved living standards, driving inquiry across disciplines while framed in human-centric progress.

Enlightenment showed us humans have grand responsibility and tools to develop paths for society to flourish actively.

Examples

• Shift from deterministic religion to applied sciences during the Age of Enlightenment.
• Deist approaches adapting spirituality without dismissing empirical inquiry.
• Expanded field collaborations enriching pedagogy and visual ethics over time.

Takeaways

1. Explore and question – become an active learner preserving meaningful historical and cultural records.
2. Cultivate empathy in daily actions to reinforce kindness and nurture understanding where divisions exist.
3. Focus on your moral responsibility to improve conditions concretely for everyone in small, actionable ways.