Humanismus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A philosophical and cultural movement emphasizing the value of human beings and the importance of human agency and rationality
2. A system of thought that centers on human interests, values, and the potential for individual development and fulfillment
3. An intellectual approach that advocates for a focus on human welfare, dignity, and the study of classical literature and arts

Etymology: German "Humanismus" is a 19th-century coinage, and the surprise is where it came from. The word was created in 1808 by Friedrich Immanuel Niethammer, a German educator, who used it to name the traditional study of Greek and Latin classics as the core of a good education. It was a term for a school curriculum, not a philosophy of life. The Latin base is "humanus," meaning "human" or "humane," and the "-ism" ending comes from Greek "-ismos," used for doctrines and practices. The original German sense was tied to the Renaissance humanists, who revived classical texts and rhetoric, and Niethammer's label gave that educational tradition a name. Only later did the word broaden into a general outlook centred on human reason, dignity and values. In English, the word "humanism" appeared in the early 19th century with a similar academic sense, and the philosophical meaning developed in the later 1800s and 1900s. The German form "Humanismus" thus names both the classical curriculum and, in its wider use, a life philosophy that places human interests and judgement at the centre.

Synonyms: humanism, humanitarianism, humaneness, philanthropy

Antonyms: inhumanity, brutality, cruelty, barbarism