Humanism: An Introduction [Paperback]

Jim Herrick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2005

Provides a very readable account of the guiding principles, history, and practice of humanism in today's world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JIM HERRICK is editor in chief of the Rationalist Press Association, literary editor of the NEW HUMANIST, former editor of the FREETHINKER and the INTERNATIONAL HUMANIST NEWS, and the author of a number of books on the history of humanism.

Product Details

• Paperback: 105 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (January 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591022398
• ISBN-13: 978-1591022398
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview of Humanism, August 31, 2005

By 

Blue Meanie (Glen Ridge, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Humanism: An Introduction (Paperback)

Filled with quotes from historical humanists, this small guide packs a persuasive argument for walking a moral patch without the crutch of religion. The book traces the history of humanism and analyzes the philosophy in relation to morality, science, religion, politics, and the arts. An excellent read for anybody interested in the question: "Is it possible to be good without God?"

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breaking Down Humanism, January 12, 2007

By 

William Broadwater - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Humanism: An Introduction (Paperback)

Humanism, An Introduction is just that - an introduction, albeit a good one. Author Jim Herrick, a British Humanist advocate, outlines the main points of Humanism simply and clearly. He breaks down Humanism so that it can be easily understood. He explains Humanism's take on morality, religion, politics, science, the arts, and more. The book also contains a brief history of Humanism and it's outlook for the future.

The author's unifying outlook on Humanism is commendable: he declines to get involved in delving into the differences between different kinds of Humanism, preferring instead to highlight the philosophy's unifying features. This is good because emphasizing the unity of the worldview is more useful than pointing out differences, especially in an introduction. A central idea is that Humanism is an atheistic/agnostic outlook on life that emphasizes values and requires thinking and reason. Anyone looking for a clear, simple introduction to the philosophy of Humanism should benefit by reading this book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A bit too sketchy, even for an introduction, June 7, 2008

By 

Kerry Walters (Lewisburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Humanism: An Introduction (Paperback)

Introductory books are difficult to pull off. On the one hand, you want to present the subject matter in a way that novices can comprehend. But on the other hand, you don't want to dumb-down what you're writing about. As anyone knows who's ever tried to write an introductory text, this isn't an easy course to navigate.

Jim Herrick ambitiously offer an introductory exploration of a huge subject in his Humanism: An Introduction. Although Herrick is a good stylist and clear author, the result is mixed. He's at his best when discussing the history of humanism (chapter 2), humanistic responses to religion, morality and politics (chapters 3-6), and humanism and the environment (chapter 9). But he seems out of his depth in his exploration of humanism and science (chapter 7), his discussion of humanism and the arts seems platitudinous (chapter 8), and his rundown of institutionalized humanism (chapters 10 & 11) is boringly skip-worthy and way too long (taking up a full one-fifth of the book). Moreover, even the better chapters are short on argument and long on declaration. Finally, the book lacks a bibliography to guide further reading, an essential for any introductory volume.

So although Herrick's book isn't awful, there are better short introductions to humanism. Paul Kurtz's terse What Is Secular Humanism? (2007) may be the single best place to start. It's accessible but rigorous. Corliss Lamont's The Philosophy of Humanism (reprint, 1997) remains a classic, although dated in some sections. Margaret Knight's and Jim Herrick's Humanist Anthology From Confucious to Attenborough (1995) is a decent collection of primary sources. Finally, for those with a taste for Continental approaches, Sartre's Existentialism Is a Humanism (reprint, 2007) can't be beat.