Does Humanism Require Faith Too?

Humanism is often described as a philosophy centered on reason, empiricism, and human agency rather than faith in the divine or supernatural. However, when examining some of humanism’s core tenets more closely, there are fair critiques one could make about humanism ultimately requiring its own form of faith as well.

While humanists argue their philosophy is firmly evidence-based, there is no absolute scientific proof that humanist ethical stances are objectively true in all situations. Principles like universal human dignity and the possibility of continued moral progress depend on a certain degree of belief in their validity, rather than cold hard facts.

Foundational humanist assumptions also contain leaps of faith. The intrinsic worth of human life, or the human capacity for ever-greater knowledge through rationality, cannot be empirically proven with total certainty. Belief in these ideas requires some level of faith in the human endeavor.

Choices of which humanist values to prioritize also stem from subjective assessments of their importance by humans, not objective calculations. Determining if individual liberty or economic equity holds greater significance relies on value judgements, not facts alone.

In practice, human rationality has limits. Humanists may overestimate the extent to which complex existential, moral, and metaphysical quandaries can be definitively solved by reason alone. Humans remain prone to short-sightedness and ideological extremes.

In summary, when scrutinised deeply, humanism likely does rest on its own set of beliefs that ultimately require a type of faith in core principles. It cannot claim to be fully evidenced-based given the inherent limits of human perception and objectivity. This does not negate the merits of humanism, but serves as an important reminder of nuance in debates about faith versus reason. A thoughtful examination provides grounds for critiques from multiple perspectives.