TEACHERS CONFERENCE 2019 Humanism Edu 2019 Humanism Edu

TEACHERS CONFERENCE 2019 #Humanism. Edu 2019 @Humanism. Edu

WARM UP ACTIVITY Open the envelope and look at the different ‘. . . isms’ inside. 1) Which of the ‘. . . isms’ in the envelope are non-religious worldviews? 2) Which of them should be taught about in religious education? Discuss with your group and place them on the Venn diagram.

WHO ARE THE NON-RELIGIOUS? Luke Donnellan, Director of Understanding Humanism

WHAT DOES ‘NON-RELIGIOUS’ MEAN? ‘Non-religious’ does not mean the same as ‘atheist’ 3 ‘B’s: belief, behaviour, belonging • It is possible to have a non-religious identity and hold ‘religious’ beliefs • It is possible to have a sense of religious identity without religious beliefs Religion and belief are messy!

LABELS HIDE DIVERSITY British Social Attitudes Survey (2008) Non-religious • 62% atheist/strong agnostic + 20% ‘not quite sure’ Religious • 40% Jewish are atheist/agnostic • 35% Anglicans are atheist/agnostic

THE COMMISSION ON RE: EXAMPLES OF NON-RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEWS ‘There has been some discussion about which non-religious worldviews are appropriate for study. The landscape is complex and many of those who identify as non-religious do not adhere to a particular institutional nonreligious worldview. Many non-religious worldviews do not have the same institutional structures as religious worldviews. Having said that, the worldviews to be included should be those which make ontological and epistemological claims (claims about the nature of reality and how we know things) as well as political and moral ones. Humanism, existentialism and Confucianism are examples of suitable non-religious worldviews for study in an age-appropriate way, while nationalism, global capitalism and Communism are examples of worldviews which would not be included in Religion and Worldviews, although they may be appropriate for study in other curriculum subjects. ’ Religion and Worldviews: the way forward, The Commission on RE

NON-RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEWS 1) Which of these are non-religious worldviews? 2) Which of them should be studied in RE? • Humanism • Buddhism • Nihilism • Atheism • Communism • Egoism • Agnosticism • Capitalism • Hedonism • Secularism • Nationalism • Postmodernism • Existentialism • Liberalism • Vegetarianism/veganism • Confucianism • Jewish atheism • ‘Spiritual’ but not religious

WHAT IS A NON-RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEW? The Commission on RE’s final report defines the types of worldviews to be studied in RE as those that… ‘make ontological and epistemological claims (claims about the nature of reality and how we know things) as well as political and moral ones. ’ • • • Humanism? Atheism? Agnosticism? Secularism? Capitalism? Existentialism? Nihilism? Postmodernism? Egoism?

Half of the population of the UK say they have no religion

Half of the population of the UK say they have no religion

HOW MANY HUMANISTS ARE THERE? • 53% of the UK are non-religious • 22% of the UK population hold humanist beliefs • 5% identify with the term ‘humanist’

HUMANISM AS A DESCRIPTIVE TERM ‘I was a humanist without knowing it for many years before I found the British Humanist Association – when I did, it was like finding a sort of home. Here were people with a range of views that matched my own, who shared my respect for life in all its forms. ’ Claire Rayner (1931 -2010), broadcaster and former president of Humanists UK Can you be a humanist and not know it?

HOW SHOULD HUMANISM BE PRESENTED? Present humanism positively • Describe what humanists do believe in (freedom, reason, empathy, human rights) • Not just what they don’t (gods, an afterlife) • Humanism does not define itself in opposition to religion

HOW SHOULD HUMANISM BE PRESENTED? Use a range of voices when presenting humanism • Humanism is not just a modern, Western phenomenon The board of Humanists International

HUMANISM 1) The human being (material and mortal, conscious and creative) 2) Understanding the world (naturalism, skepticism, reason, science, atheism) 3) How should I live? (one life, freedom, flourishing, connections) 4) Morality (empathy, consequences) 5) Goals/Action (human rights, secularism) ‘Think for yourself, act for everyone’

THE HISTORY OF HUMANISM • The meaning of the word has changed over time • The humanist tradition is at least 2500 years old • Ancient China, India, Europe, and other cultures • Wisdom can come from different sources

COULD THIS ATHEIST BE A HUMANIST?

COULD THIS ATHEIST BE A HUMANIST?

COULD THIS ATHEIST BE A HUMANIST?

COULD THIS ATHEIST BE A HUMANIST?

MISCONCEPTIONS Beware of the ‘If it’s not this, it must be that’ fallacy Humanism is often defined as something it is actually in opposition with • • • Individualism, egoism, hedonism Relativism, postmodernism Scientism Totalitarianism, utopianism Nihilism

UNDERSTANDING HUMANISM • Teaching Resources • Lesson plans • Classroom activities • Presentations • Videos • Humanist perspectives • School Speakers • Planning guidelines • Teacher Training / CPD: Teachers conference understandinghumanism. org. uk education@humanism. org. uk Twitter: @Humanism. Edu

THE MOOCS Two free online courses on Future. Learn https: //www. futurelearn. com/courses/introducing-humanism https: //www. futurelearn. com/courses/humanist-lives

WHO ARE THE NON-RELIGIOUS? 1) Labels hide diversity – think about the 3 ‘B’s • It is possible to have a non-religious identity and hold ‘religious’ beliefs • It is possible to have a sense of religious identity without religious beliefs 2) Worldviews make claims about the nature of reality and how we know things as well as political and moral ones • Atheism, agnosticism, and secularism are not worldviews – humanism is 3) 5% self-identify as humanist - around a quarter hold humanist beliefs 4) Present humanism positively - it’s more than atheism 5) Beware of misconceptions: the ‘If it’s not this, it must be that’ fallacy

ANY QUESTIONS?

HUMANISM AND HUMAN FLOURISHING Professor Richard Norman

LUNCH Back at 13. 55

RATIONAL MORAL EDUCATION Professor Michael Hand

THANK YOU Please complete the evaluation form and hand it to a member of staff