Non-religiousworldviewsintheAgreedSyllabus

Whatarenon-religiousworldviews?

Non-religiousworldviewsaresimplythat–philosophiesandviewsoftheworldthatareformedwithoutreferencetoagod,thesupernaturaloranafterlife.Intheworldaroundthem,childrenwillencountertheviewsofpeoplewhomaycallthemselves‘non-religious’becausetheydonotbelongtoanyreligiouscommunity,yetothersmayalignthemselveswithaspecificviewpointwithinthatbroadspectrume.g.

atheist,agnostic,Humanistetc.WithintheAgreedSyllabus,therearespecificplaceswherenon-religiousbeliefsareincludedinordertoreflectthisbreadthofunderstanding,andgivepupilsopportunitiestoexaminethesebeliefs

alongsidethoseofreligiouspeople.Thereisnoexpectationwithintheseunitsthatpupilsareintroducedtoonespecificbranchofnon-religiousbelief:asinEYFS,itissuggestedthattheopinionsandbeliefsofnon-religiousfamilieswithintheclassshouldbereflectedinthecontentofthelearning.

However,tobeabletogainabetterunderstandingofnon-religiousbelief,itisperhapsmosthelpfultolookat

Humanismasanexample,as,likereligion,itoffersanapproachtolifebasedonacomprehensivesystemof

sharedbeliefsandvaluesandattemptstoaddresssimilarbigquestionsabouttruth,morality,meaning

andpurpose.

KS1:Isprayerimportanttoeveryone? KS1:Whyshould

welookafter

ourworld?

KS1&KS2

Comparative

ASUsUKS2:WhatistheGoldenRule?–and

aretheyallthesame?

“Asmanadvancesincivilisation,andsmalltribesareunitedintolargercommunities,

thesimplestreasonwouldtelleachindividualthatheoughttoextendhissocialinstinctsandsympathiestoallthemembers

ofthesamenation,thoughpersonallyunknowntohim.Thispointbeingonce

reached,thereisonlyanartificialbarriertopreventhissympathiesextendingtothemen

ofallnationsandraces.”CharlesDarwin

‘TheDescentofMan’,1871

CharlesDarwin(1809-1882)

WhatdoIneedtoknowaboutHumanismasanexampleofanon-religiousworldview?Humanismisanapproachtolifecentredonpeople’swellbeing

andhappiness,andhasitsrootsover2500yearsago,whenthinkersinGreece, China and India formulated the idea that humankind alone isresponsibleforitsownwelfareanddevelopment.Oneof the first atheists, IndianAjita Kesakambalin, (6th Century BCE)suggestedthatthereisonlythislife"withthebreak-upofthebody,thewise and the foolish alike are annihilated, destroyed” and his fellowCharvaka school atheists asked “Who paints the peacocks, or whomakes the cuckoos sing?” answering “There exists no cause exceptnature.” TheGreek philosopherDemocritus 460 BCE thought that theworld we know through our senses is all there is and that it worksnaturally without any prior plan. Around 2000 years ago the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca wrote“Religionisrecognisedbythecommonpeopleastrue,bythewiseasfalse,andbytherulersasuseful,”andsaid,“Thetimetoliveisnow,”somethingbelievedbymostmoderndayhumanists.

TheEuropeanRenaissancemovementrevivedanddeveloped early classical thinking whichprogressed further during the 18th CenturyEnlightenment. Humanist ideas advanced rapidlyinthe19thcenturyspurredonbyCharlesDarwin’s‘Origin of Species’ (published in 1859), whichdescribed how life on earth evolved without theneed for a god. Atheist ethical societies startedproviding an alternative to Church from 1888,uniting12yearslatertoformtheUnionofEthicalSocietieswhichwasrenamedtheBritishHumanistAssociation in 1967. Many of the founders of the mid-20thcenturyinternationalco-operativeinstitutionswerehumanists.

WhatdoHumanistsbelieve?Humanists today maintain thatthe world is anatural place best understood using science,evidence, reason andcritical thinking: their viewof theUniversedoesnotdependonbelief inanygod.Humanists believe that they should treat allhuman beings equally, regardless of race, gender, belief or sexualorientation,andthattheyshoulduseempathyandcompassiontomake

theworldabetterplaceforeveryone.Humanistsbelievethatmoralityisbasedonhumannature,humansocietyandhumanexperienceandhasnotcomefromanygod:theycanworkoutforthemselveswhatisright andwrong, and also how to findmeaning, beauty and happiness for the one life they have. TheAmerican Humanist Association put forward ‘Ten Commitments’ for teaching moral values in schools.

These are: altruism; caring for the world around us; critical thinking; empathy;ethical development; global awareness; human rights; peace & social justice;responsibility;service&participation.Humanistsdescribethemselvesasagnosticsoratheists(orboth).Agnosticsbelieveitisnotpossibletoknowwhethergod(s)exist.Theword‘agnostic’comesfromtheancient Greek word, meaning ‘without knowledge’. It can also be used to meansomeone who sees no strong evidence to decide one way or the other. Someagnosticsmaynothaveconsideredthequestionofgod’sexistenceatall;however,

others have considered the question a great deal but see no strong evidence to help them decide.Agnosticsmaysaythatitispossiblethatasupernaturaldeitymightexistbutdon’tseeanyevidencethatithastobeoneofthegodsproposedbythemanyreligions.Somesuchagnosticsmaywanttohedgetheirbets,maybe offer up the occasional prayer or attend the occasional religious service, while others willsimplylivetheirlivesasthoughthereisnogod.Atheistsdon'tbelieveinagodorgodsorlivetheirlivesasthough there are no gods. It is important to note that althoughmany atheists and agnosticsmight not

Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms

that human beings have the right and responsibility to give

meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through

an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit

of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities.

International Humanist and Ethical Union

“IdonotbelieveinapersonalGod…..Ifsomethingisinme

whichcanbecalledreligious,thenitistheunboundedadmirationforthestructureoftheworldsofarasoursciencecanrevealit.”

AlbertEinstein(1879-1955)

define themselvesashumanists (theymayneverevenhaveheardof theword),manywill still live theirlivesaccordingtohumanistbeliefsandvalues. Whilstatheism is theabsenceofbelief,Humanismpresentsapositiveattitudeto theworld, focusedon

human experience, thought and hopes. Humanists are secularists, meaning they believe infreedomofbelief,andsupportastateinwhichnooneshouldbeprivilegedordisadvantagedongroundsoftheirreligiousornon-religiousbeliefs.TherearenosacredtextsorsourcesofauthorityinHumanism,andalthoughtherearenoprescribedritualsinHumanism,thereareHumanistceremonies(ledbycelebrants)forweddings,babynamingandfunerals.

WhyishappinesssoimportanttoHumanists?

(excerptsfrom‘HumanistPerspectives–TheHappyHuman’)Humanistsbelievetheyhaveonlyone lifeandsoshouldmakethemost of it. Being happy is therefore one of the most importantthings in life.Happinessmay seem like anobvious goal.However,

somepeoplequestionwhetherhappinessandpleasureshouldbeapriorityinlifeorwhetherothergoalsaremore important,suchas living inaccordancewithparticular rules…..Mosthumanistsdonotbelievethattheirabsenceofabeliefingodmeanstheycannotbeashappyaspeoplewhodobelieveinagod:theimportant ingredients of happiness are not dependent on religion.Humanistsbelievethatthislifeistheonlylifewehave,alifewithoutadivinepurposeoranafterlife,andthisthereforerequiresthemtofindtheir own ways to make their lives meaningful and happy. Eachpersonneedstodecideforthemselveswhatmakesthemhappyratherthan feeling the need to follow what religious or political authorityfigures tell themorwhat they read in a ‘holy book’. Humanists are often sceptical if peopleclaim they have the key to eternal happiness. They believe everyone should think forthemselves.Astheydon’tbelieveinanafterlife,theydonotthinkweshouldforgohappinessnowfortheofferofhappinessinsomefuturelife.Forhumanists,thetimetobehappyisnow!…..Somepeoplemayarguethatthinkingabouthappinessisaselfishwayofliving(youareonlythinking about yourself) but humanists think we should take the wellbeing of others intoaccountwhenwedecidehowtoact,andmanybelievethatoneofthebestwaystobehappyourselvesistomake other people happy. Humanists also believe it is easiest tomake other people happy and bemotivated tobegood toothers if youarehappyyourself. Ifwedonotknowourselveswhat it is tobehappy, how can we ever hope to understand what makes others happy? Humanists would say thatbecause we are social creatures, our own happiness and the happiness of others are therefore

intertwined.There isnothingselfish forhumanistsaboutwantingtobehappy.Wedonothavetochoosebetweenbeing good and being happy. The humanist goal is foreveryone to be happy and by recognising that our ownhappiness is tied up with everyone else’s we can work

towardsachievingthisideal.How do Humanists believe we can work out what is right and wrong?

(basedonexcerptsfrom‘HumanistPerspectives–Ethics,TheGoldenRule’andrelatedlessons)Humanistsbelievehumanbeingshavetherighttoolsattheirdisposaltoenablethem towork out for themselveswhat is the right thing to do. These toolsinclude empathy, compassion, reason, and respect for the dignity of eachperson.Theydonotrelyonholytextsorfiguresofauthoritytotellthemhowtoact. They don’t believe that our actions will bepunishedorrewardedbyagodorgodseithernowor

in an afterlife. When deciding how to act, humanists consider carefully theparticularsituationandtheeffectsoftheirchoicesonthehappinessorsufferingof the people concerned and on the wider community. They weigh up the

“Happinessistheonlygood….thetimetobehappyisnow,andthewaytobehappy

istomakeothersso…”RobertIngersoll(1833-1899)

TheHappyHumansymbolistheinternationalsymbolof

Humanism.Itwasthewinningdesigninacompetitionlaunched

bytheBHAin1965

‘Thehappylifeistoanextraordinaryextentthesameasthegoodlife.’

BertrandRussell(1872–1970)

evidence,theprobableconsequencesoftheaction,andtherightsandwishesof those involved, tryingto findthekindestcourseofactionortheoptionthatwilldotheleastharm.A major principle Humanists use to guide them is ‘The GoldenRule’: ‘Treat other people as you'dwant to be treated in theirsituation.’Orputtheotherwayround: ‘Donot treatothers inawayyouwouldnot liketobetreatedyourself.’TheGoldenRulepromoteskindnessandcareforthelessfortunate,becausethisiswhat we would want in their situation, and it discourages lying,bullying,cruelty,andtheft,becausenoonewantstobeliedto,tobebullied,tobehurt,ortohavetheirpropertystolen.

HowdoHumanistsdecidewhattobelieve?(basedonexcerptsfromUnderstandingHumanism“Whatmakesusspecial?”and“Howdohumanistsdecidewhattobelieve?”)

Humanistscelebratethatoneof the special thingsaboutbeinghumanisour curiosityand our ability to ask good questions.Questions posed by scientists, doctors, artists,campaigners, and others have brought new inventions,curesfordiseases,worksofwonder,andimprovementsinhumanknowledgeand society.Humanistsbelievehumanbeingsaloneareresponsibleforendeavouringtoimprovetheworldwelivein,wecannotrelyonanygodtohelpus.

Humanists believe in the importance of reason and evidence towork outwhatistrue.Theybelievethatscientificinvestigationandtestingarethebestwaystofindoutfactsabouttheworld. They recognise thatwe can’t test everything ourselves and so, sometimes,wehave to trust

what we read or the information provided by other people.However,theybelieveweshouldalwaysthinkcarefullyabouttheclaimsbeingmadeand, ifweareunsure,we should checkusingother sources of evidence. They believe we should always bepreparedtochangeourbeliefsinthelightofnewevidence.

TheseandotherresourcesforunderstandingHumanismcanbefoundonthe‘UnderstandingHumanism’website(www.understandinghumanism.or.uk)Thesehave all beenwrittenwith schools andRE lessons inmind.Aswith allresources,careshouldbetakentoensurethatwhatyouchoosehelpsyoutodeliver the statutory content of the Surrey Agreed Syllabus:most resourcesthat schools find to support any learning inRE (not just teaching aboutnon-religiousworldviews)willneedsomeadaptation.Asstatedatthebeginningofthis factsheet, it should also be remembered that Humanism is not the onlyexampleofanon-religiousworldviewe.g.whilstitwouldbetruetosaythatallhumanistswoulddescribethemselvesasatheistsoragnostics(orboth),notallatheistsoragnosticswoulddescribethemselvesashumanists(thoughmanymaystilllivetheirlivesaccordingtohumanistbeliefsandvalues).Theresourcesavailableinclude:• TeachingResources

Lessonplans Classroomactivities Presentations Videos Humanistperspectives

• SchoolSpeakers• Guidance• Planningguidelines• TeacherTraining/CPD

SincerethanksalsogotoJennieJohnson,HumanistmemberofSurreySACRE,forherassistancewiththisresource

Awisemanproportionshisbelieftotheevidence.’

DavidHume,philosopher,1711–1776

‘Whenthefactschange,Ichangemymind.What

doyoudo?’JohnMaynardKeynes,economist,1883–1946