List of humanists
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a partial list of famous modern humanists, including both secular and religious humanists.
- Clark Adams (1969–2007) was former president of the Humanist Association of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada, and a life member of the American Humanist Association.[1]
- Steve Allen was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism,[2] and Chairman of the Council for Secular Humanism.[3]
- Nayef Al-Rodhan is a philosopher, neuroscientist and geostrategist. Author of "Sustainable History and the Dignity of Man" ; " Emotional Amoral Egoism" and "Symbiotic Realism".
- Isaac Asimov was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Margaret Atwood is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- A. J. Ayer was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Ronnie Barker, (1929–2005) British comedian.[4]
- Marshall Berman, American political scientist and Marxist humanist.
- Hermann Bondi was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Jacob Bronowski, Polish-British polymath and author of "The Ascent of Man".[5]
- Anton J. Carlson was a signer of the original Humanist Manifesto.[6]
- Arthur C. Clarke was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Francis Crick was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Richard Dawkins is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Daniel Dennett is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- John Dewey was a signer of the original Humanist Manifesto.[6]
- John H. Dietrich was a signer of the original Humanist Manifesto.[6]
- Ann Dunham, (1942–1995) mother of the President of the United States, Barack Obama [7]
- Umberto Eco is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Albert Einstein served on the advisory board of the First Humanist Society of New York[8][9]
- Greg M. Epstein is the current secular humanist chaplain at Harvard University, and is a published author on the subject of secular humanism.[10]
- Murray Gell-Mann is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism,[2]
- Stephen Jay Gould was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- A.C. Grayling Prominent British philosopher, author of The Good Book: A Humanist Bible[11]
- Daniel Handler (1970–): American author better known under the pen name of Lemony Snicket. Handler calls himself an atheist[12] and a secular humanist.[13]
- Matt Harding [14]
- Bill Hayden (1933–): Governor-General of Australia (1989–1996).[15][16]
- Sam Heads, British entomologist, palaeontologist and secular humanist.
- Julian Huxley was a self-described "scientific humanist," and presided over the founding congress of the International Humanist and Ethical Union.[17]
- Paul Kurtz co-authored Humanist Manifesto II.[18]
- Corliss Lamont
- Stewart Lee (1968–) British stand-up comedian, writer and director. Supporter of the British Humanist Association.[19]
- Jonathan Meades, writer, broadcaster and prominent British Humanist Association member.[20]
- R. Lester Mondale was a signer of the original Humanist Manifesto.[6]
- Kathleen Nott
- Steven Pinker is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Charles Francis Potter was a signer of the original Humanist Manifesto.[6]
- Karl Popper was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Sir Terry Pratchett, British novelist and satirist.[21]
- Curtis W. Reese was a signer of the original Humanist Manifesto.[6]
- Gene Roddenberry (1921—1991): American scriptwriter and producer, creator of Star Trek. Roddenberry was a member of the American Humanist Association, and has been called "one of the most influential yet unheralded humanists of the twentieth century."[22]
- Richard Rorty was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Arnold Ruge[citation needed]
- Salman Rushdie is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Bertrand Russell, British Philosopher, Mathematician and Academic. [23]
- Carl Sagan was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Jean-Paul Sartre, French existentialist and Marxist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, biographer, activist, and critic; author of Existentialism is a Humanism.
- Ferdinand Canning Scott Schiller was an early coiner of the term "humanism."
- Rod Serling, creator and narrator of The Twilight Zone.[24]
- Peter Singer is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Marc Sinden, English Theatre producer and actor. Supporter of the British Humanist Association and the National Secular Society.[25]
- Linda Smith (comedian), former president of British Humanist Association
- Christer Sturmark, chairman of The Swedish Humanist Organisation.
- Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA[26]
- Peter Ustinov was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Cenk Uygur, host of the popular YouTube and radio show The Young Turks (talk show).[27]
- Kurt Vonnegut Vonnegut was a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Ibn Warraq, author of Why I am Not a Muslim, and chair of the Council for Secular Humanism's Committee for the Study of Koranic Literature.[28]
- James D. Watson is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Joss Whedon, television writer and director.[29]
- E. O. Wilson is a Humanist Laureate in The International Academy of Humanism.[2]
- Edwin H. Wilson was a signer of the original Humanist Manifesto.[6] He also co-authored Humanist Manifesto II.[18]
- Sherwin T. Wine, Rabbi and founder of Society for Humanistic Judaism
Others are listed on the following humanist organisation pages:
[edit] See also
- Lists of secularists: Agnostics, Atheists, Nontheists
- List of secularist organizations
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Clark Adams: 1969-2007, American Humanist Association News Flash, May 24, 2007 . Retrieved 14 April 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v The International Academy of Humanism at the website of the Council for Secular Humanism. . Retrieved 18 October 2007. Some of this information is also at the International Humanist and Ethical Union website
- ^ A Tribute to Steve Allen, by Paul Kurtz, Skeptical Inquirer magazine, January/February 2001. . Retrieved 18 October 2007.
- ^ had a "humanist funeral service." A quiet goodbye for TV's Ronnie Barker, Telegraph.co.uk, 14 October 2005 . Retrieved 29 March 2008.
- ^ "Jacob Bronowski was a humanist, polymath and all round Renaissance man." [1]
- ^ a b c d e f g Chapter 13: Publication of "A Humanist Manifesto", from The Genesis of a Humanist Manifesto, by Edwin H. Wilson, Humanist Press, a division of the American Humanist Association, 1995. Retrieved 19 October 2007 from The Secular Web.
- ^ Obama Family Tree | Stanley Ann Dunham | 'Most generous spirit'[dead link]
- ^ Stringer-Hye, Richard (1999), "Charles Francis Potter", Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography, Unitarian Universalist Historical Society, http://www.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/charlesfrancispotter.html, retrieved 2006-05-14
- ^ Wilson, Edwin H. (1995), "Chapter 2: The Background of Religious Humanism", Genesis of a Humanist Manifesto, The Secular Web Library, http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/edwin_wilson/manifesto/ch2.html, retrieved 2006-05-14
- ^ About Greg Epstein at Harvard
- ^ A.C. Grayling's professional website, "Academic Interests" [2]
- ^ "Handler says he's 'pretty much' an atheist..." Autumn of a book-lover’s contentment, Marvin Olasky, World Magazine, October 07, 2006 . Retrieved 5 April 2008.
- ^ "Mr. Handler... describes himself as a 'secular humanist.'", Lemony Snicket reaches 'The End', By Todd Leopold, CNN.com, October 5, 2006 . Retrieved 5 April 2008.
- ^ "Are you religious?" http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/faq.shtml
- ^ In 1996 Hayden was recognised as the Australian Humanist of the Year with the statement that "The award is made because he has shown that an avowed atheist who describes himself as a secular humanist can occupy the position of Governor-General with mounting approval." Australian Humanist, No. 41 February 1996
- ^ "Being an atheist--as I am--is not a necessary pre-condition for being a humanist." in his acceptance speech for Australian Humanist of the Year, reported in Australian Humanist, No 42, May 1996
- ^ [1850-1952: The road to the founding congress], excerpted from International Humanist and Ethical Union 1952-2002: Past, present and future, Bert Gasenbeek and Babu Gogineni (eds.), De Tijdstroom uitgeverij, 2002, retrieved 19 October 2007 from the website of the International Humanist and Ethical Union.
- ^ a b Humanist Manifesto II, by Paul Kurtz and Edwin H. Wilson, The Humanist magazine, September/October 1973, American Humanist Association. Retrieved from the website of the American Humanist Association 19 October 2007.
- ^ "Stewart Lee". Humanism.org.uk. http://www.humanism.org.uk/about/people/distinguished-supporters/Stewart-Lee. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
- ^ "British Humanist Association website". Humanism.org.uk. http://www.humanism.org.uk/about/people/distinguished-supporters/Jonathan-Meades. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
- ^ Profile: Terry Pratchett "I'm a humanist, which means I'm an atheist, the trouble with being an atheist is that it lets God off the hook." BBC News. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
- ^ Interview of Gene Roddenberry: Writer, Producer, Philosopher, Humanist, by David Alexander, The Humanist magazine, March/April 1991. Archived version accessed 19 October 2007.
- ^ "There lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in happiness, knowledge and wisdom. Shall we instead choose death because we cannot forget our quarrels? Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. If you can do so, the way lies open to a new paradise; if you cannot, nothing lies before you but universal death." [3]
- ^ "Theologically speaking, Rod was what we call a naturalistic humanist..." Reverend Ernest Pipes, speaking of Rod Serling, who was a member of
- John Henry Silva was a signer of the Neo-Humanist Statement of Secular Principles and Values.
- ^ Debrett's People of Today (2009)
- ^ "I found that Swedish Humanist Association existed and what they stood for, and as a result I became a member." Ulvaeus, in an interview by Christer Sturmark, from Humanisten, Issue No. 4, December 2005. Translation to English by Marika Granerus, posted at the website of the International Humanist and Ethical Union . Retrieved 5 January 2007.
- ^ om een reactie te plaatsen! (2008-06-16). "Cenk Uygur will Name his Son Prometheus". Youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hdzMEsDypU. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
- ^ Humanist Scholars To Examine Islam And The Koran, by Matt Cherry, Secular Humanist Bulletin, Volume 13, Number 1. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
- ^ God-less 'congregations' planned for humanists[dead link]
