Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for understanding and improving the world. It is a democratic and ethical lifestance that affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. Humanism is not theistic and does not accept supernatural views of reality. Here are some key aspects of humanism:

• Compassion: Humanism is a philosophy of compassion, and humanist ethics is solely concerned with meeting human needs and answering human problems for both the individual and society.

• Reason and Science: Humanism is a philosophy of reason and science in the pursuit of knowledge. Humanists reject arbitrary faith, authority, revelation, and altered states of consciousness as valid means for acquiring knowledge of the world.

• Imagination: Humanism is a philosophy of imagination. Humanists recognize that intuitive feelings, hunches, speculation, flashes of inspiration, emotion, altered states of consciousness, and even religious experience, while not valid means to acquire knowledge, remain useful sources of ideas that can lead us to new ways of looking at the world.

• Human-Centeredness: Humanism is a philosophy of life that considers the welfare of humankind to be of paramount importance. Humanists regard human values as making sense only in the context of human life rather than in the promise of a supposed life after death.

• Naturalism: Humanism is a philosophy, worldview, or lifestance based on naturalism, the conviction that the universe or nature is all that exists or is real.

Overall, humanism is an approach to life that is found throughout time and across the world in many different cultures. It is a non-religious philosophy based on liberal human values that emphasizes the importance of reason, science, compassion, and human-centeredness.