Humanism is a philosophical current that has had a great influence on psychology, politics and the social sciences in general. However, does not exist as something homogeneous, but rather there are different types of humanism .

Each of these classes of humanism expresses, in its own way, the fundamental idea of this way of thinking: that the lives of all human beings matter and that, by default, the lives of others must be respected without seeking to alter them unjustifiably or without taking their opinion into account. Let’s see how they do it.

What is humanism?

Humanism is a way of thinking that emphasizes the value of one’s subjective and private experiences . Thus, for example, Humanist Psychology takes many influences from phenomenology (the sensations and private and conscious experiences of each person are valuable and unique) and existentialism (each person constructs a vital story that gives meaning to his existence).

In practice, in psychology, humanism has been noted in therapeutic proposals such as Fritz Perls’ Gestalt Therapy and the contributions of psychologists such as Abraham Maslow or Carl Rogers. This group of thinkers defended the idea of not imposing a rigid system of intervention on people, but rather adapting to each case by letting the person take the lead in the sessions.

The main types of humanism

These are the fundamental characteristics of the different types of humanism. To understand them fully, however, we must take into account that each of them has emerged in a different historical context , and cannot be understood without understanding the degree of technological, philosophical and ethical development that existed at the time of their appearance.

1. Theocentric humanism

This type of humanism bases all its morality on the existence of a certain god who reveals what is good and what is bad and, consequently, how human beings should be treated.

2. Historical Humanism

This was a type of humanism born in Florence at the end of the Middle Ages. In it, the arts and intellectual activity were gradually focused on the human, no longer considering the divine as the center of everything.

3. Anthropocentric humanism

This type of humanism was the one that began to characterize Western societies from the Renaissance and, especially, from the time of the Enlightenment.

Here, the figure of God ceases to be the center of the moral system, and the human being takes on all the protagonism . So much attention is no longer paid to the code of conduct written in sacred texts and new forms of humanist ethics are formulated.

Similarly, the idea that one human being can control another is rejected; what can be controlled and subdued is nature, seen as a set of resources that can be used for the welfare of the species.

4. Empirical Humanism

This is one of the types of humanisms that try to differentiate themselves from the rest by being more practical and applied. While other forms of this current of thought are based more on abstract ideas, such as the need not to dominate other human beings, this one focuses on the rejection or acceptance of certain concrete actions or attitudes .

For example, empirical humanism rejects violence, declares total freedom of expression and belief, and emphasizes the need to highlight the ways in which minorities live their own lives.

5. Existentialist humanism

This form of humanism highlights the importance of rejecting material and intellectual totalitarianisms that force people to be recruited for a particular cause, preventing them from thinking beyond it.

For existentialist philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre, it is the individual who must build meaning for his own life without others interfering with this system of ideas and symbols.

6. Marxist humanism

Very based on the philosophy of the philosopher Karl Marx, this type of humanism arisen from the II World War emphasizes the idea that the human being is a social being whose identity only emerges from the interaction with others , allowed thanks to the solidarity bonds present in well cohesive and united societies.

This philosophy rejects the individualism of a good part of the rest of types of humanism, and points out that the well-being of the individual depends on collective phenomena in which everyone must participate in order not to be manipulated.

7. Universalist humanism

It is a way of thinking very much influenced by post-modern philosophy . It points out the need to create inclusive societies for all people, to respect the different cultures that are present in society and not to be guided only by rigid codes of conduct, but quite the opposite: to appreciate spontaneity and creativity in all aspects of life.