What is Humanism?

[TryingNewThing]

heh, if you really wanna know, you should read a book about it

This looks like a good one:

http://www.amazon.com/Humanism-Thinking-...n+humanism

Once you're done with that, look into Existentialism. It's a bit darker and philosophical but it's so worth it. I read a novel required for course reading in high school - Albert Camus's The Stranger- that introduced me to it. If you read the novel without some introduction to the philosophy, it will make very little sense. The philosophy itself is very odd the first time you encounter it; it will require some digging on your own.

I will recommend "Existentialism for Dummies" to get a general overview first.

http://www.amazon.com/Existentialism-Dum...tentialism

If you got extra time on your hands (which I assume you do, when I was 17 I had lots of time lol), pick up a copy of Viktor Frankl's "Men's search for meaning". Viktor frankl is a famous neurologist, psychologist and a Holocaust survivor, known as the founder of "third viennesse school of psychotherapy" (first school being Sigmund Freud's "pleasure principle", second being Alfred Adler's "individual psychology") You could also read this one first or second as it's easier to read with the biographical materials in the book.

http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meanin...or+meaning

There you go! A short reading list but will take a big of time to digest them. If you can finish them, I can guarantee it will change you and you will have a new perspective on life.

GL