The British Humanist Association has a fun little quiz that consists of a series of questions that ask you how humanist you are. For example …
There are a total of exactly 10 questions so it does not take very long and then at the end it tells you what your humanist percentage is.
What is interesting is that many people are in reality individuals who embrace humanist ideals, they simply don’t use that label and don’t even know what the term means, so if curious why not give it a go.
It is 100% safe and totally anonymous, you don’t need to supply an email address, and so you will not end up being spammed forever after.
Oh, I almost forgot … the link to the actual quiz … here it is.
OK, So what exactly is Humanism?
Well that is perhaps best answered via a bit of cut-and-paste from the BHA website …
… the word humanist has come to mean someone who:
- trusts to the scientific method when it comes to understanding how the universe works and rejects the idea of the supernatural (and is therefore an atheist or agnostic)
- makes their ethical decisions based on reason, empathy, and a concern for human beings and other sentient animals
- believes that, in the absence of an afterlife and any discernible purpose to the universe, human beings can act to give their own lives meaning by seeking happiness in this life and helping others to do the same.
If you don’t like labels, and you also don’t have any interest in joining any Association, then that is still fine. If you do indeed still embrace similar ideals it may be of value to you to click “like” on the various Humanist pages on Facebook, subscribe to their twitter feed, or get on email lists so that you can tap into a flow of events and social justice campaigns.
Further Information
- On Humanism (Routledge) – a great introduction to Humanism by BHA Patron Richard Norman
- Humanism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press) by Stephen Law
- Humanism: A Beginner’s Guide (OneWorld) by BHA Patron Peter Cave
- Humanist FAQ by humanist philosophers, answering some common questions and challenges to the humanist outlook
- “The milk of humanist kindness” Blog by BHA Vice President A C Grayling (Guardian, 2006)
- Non-religious beliefs – some definitions and distinctions. What’s the difference between an atheist, an agnostic and a humanist?
100% Humanist.