1. The range of religious symbolism and meaning.

2. The way that religious language is symbolic.

3. The relationship between symbol and belief.

4. How belief is expressed through symbol.

5. Symbolism in art and architecture.

There is no great range of symbols unique to HumanismIn the 20th century Humanism came to mean a naturalistic worldview that includes a rejection of religious beliefs and the conviction that moral values are founded on human nature and experience alone; a humanist is someone who holds these beliefs. and none of any antiquity. The best known is perhaps the "Happy Human" symbol. This was the winning design in a competition in the 1960s and has been adopted and adapted by humanist organisations all around the world. It was chosen for its happy appearance, happiness being a central concept and aspiration for humanists, and for its H-shape, standing for Humanism. The slightly higher arm on the left was intended to hold different national flags.

The symbol is widely understood, but it is a human creation and has no special status. Humanists may choose to wear or display the symbol or not, and it is conceivable that if someone came up with a better design it would replace the Happy Human, though the longer it lasts and the more it is used, the less likely this seems.

The "Happy Human" symbol has not yet permeated into art and architecture, and on the whole humanists share many of the symbols and symbolic language of the rest of humanity, such as flowers signifying transience at funerals, but also representing beauty and nature at other times, rings and the stars suggesting eternity. We are all surrounded by artistic, literary and practical symbols (such as warning signs, brands and logos) - and it would seem to a humanist that using and understanding symbolic images and language are natural aspects of being human.

Some humanists object to religious symbols being on permanent display in shared public spaces such as crematoria or schools because they feel excluded by overt displays of religious belief.

See also "Worship", "Teachings" and Authority".

Websites

http://www.humanism.org.uk - for the British Humanist Association variation of the symbol.

http://www.humanism.org.uk & http://www.humanismforschools.org.uk/humanist-perspective.php - for more on Humanism and its history, especially "What is Humanism?" and "The Humanist Tradition"

http://www.humanismforschools.org.uk/humanist-perspective.php - for links to teachers' resources and a page on "The Happy Human"

Bibliography

Aesop's Fables, ancient secular stories with strong moral (and practical) messages

Baggini, J., 2003. Atheism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford Very Short Introductions). Oxford: OUP.

Blackburn, S., 2002. Being Good: A Short Introduction to Ethics. Oxford: Oxford Paperback.

Blackburn, S., 2006. Truth: A Guide for the Perplexed. London: Penguin.

Cicero, (tr. Grant, M.), 1979. On the Good Life. London: Penguin Classics.

Condon, R.J., 1974. Our Pagan Christmas. London: National Secular Society.

Dawkins, R., 1998. Unweaving the Rainbow. London: Allen Lane, Penguin Press.

Dawkins, R., 2006. The God Delusion. London: Bantam Press. (Dawkins believes that science and religion are incompatible, as does Dick Taverne (see below). Other humanists do not (see Richard Norman at http://newhumanist.org.uk/1623)

Fisher, R. 1996. Stories for Thinking. London: Nash Pollock Publishing. (useful classroom resources for KS1 and KS2)

Fisher, R. 1999. First Stories for Thinking. London, Nash Pollock Publishing.

Gould, S.J., 2002. Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life. London: Ballantine Books.

Grayling, A.C., 2003. What is Good?. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.

Herrick, J., 2005. Introduction to Humanism. London: Rationalist Association. (chapters "The Humanist Tradition" and "Organised Humanism")

Hinde, R., 1997. Religion and Darwinism. London: British Humanist Association.

Hobson, A. & Jenkins, N., 2000. Modern Humanism - Living Without Religion. London: Rationalist Press Association.

Holloway, R., 2004. Godless Morality. London: Canongate.

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2002. What is Humanism?. London: British Humanist Association.

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2004. Thinking about Death. London: British Humanist Association

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2005. Humanist Perspectives 1. London: British Humanist Association. (primary teachers, including sections on humanist beliefs, ethics, history and Humanism today.)

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2005. Humanist Perspectives 2. London: British Humanist Association. (Information and guidance on teaching about Humanism for secondary teachers, with concise versions of BHA's most popular ethical and philosophical briefings for students)

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2007. The Case for Secularism. London: British Humanist Association. (pamphlet arguing that the liberal secular state, "a neutral state in an open society", is the best guarantee of religious equality and freedom for all. )

Inwood, B., & Gerson, L.P., (trans.), 1994. The Epicurus Reader. London: Hackett.

Knight, M. & Herrick, J. (eds.), 1961. Humanist Anthology. London: Rationalist Press Association.

Knight, M. & Herrick, J. (eds.), 2000. Humanist Anthology. London: Rationalist Press Association.

Law, S., 2007. The War for Children's Minds. London: Routledge. (a defence of the humane, liberal life against authoritarianism by a humanist philosopher. Law argues that children should learn about right and wrong and respect for others, but that their moral education should be grounded in the hard-won values of the Enlightenment.)

Lipman, M. & Stottlemeier, H., 1982. Discovery. London: Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children. (Stories for stimulating philosophical discussion in the primary class.)

Midgley, M., 2007. Intelligent Design Theory and other ideological problems (Impact pamphlet no. 15). London: Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain.

Mill, J.S., 1863. Utiliarianism. London: Methuen.

Norman, R., 2004. On Humanism (Thinking in Action). London, Routledge.

Rogers, B., (ed.), 2004. Is Nothing Sacred?. London: Routledcge. (Chapter 11 Richard Dawkins "The Sacred and the Scientist".)

Russell, B., 1927. Why I Am Not a Christian: And Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects. London: Routledge Classics. (See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_I_Am_Not_a_Christian)

Sagan, C., 1997. Billions and Billions. London: Headline. (Chapter 19 "In the Valley of the Shadow" - an atheist scientist faces illness and death.)

Taverne, D., 2007. Are Religion and Science Compatible?. London: British Humanist Association.

Walter, N., 1997. Humanism: What's in the Word?. London: Rationalist Press Association.

Warburton, N. 2004. Philosophy: The Basics. London: Routledge Paperback.

Wilson, E.O., 2006. The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth. London: W W Norton. (A humanist scientist proposes an alliance between science and religion to save Earth's vanishing biodiversity.)

Wynne Willson, J. & Ashby, R., n.d. New Arrivals. London: British Humanist Association. (a practical guide to humanist and non-religious baby naming and welcoming ceremonies.)

Wynne Willson, J., n.d. Funerals Without God. London: British Humanist Association. (a practical guide to humanist and non-religious funerals)

Wynne Willson, J., n.d. Sharing the Future. London: British Humanist Association. (a practical guide to humanist and non-religious weddings, affirmations and civil ceremonies.)

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