How do humanists answer questions about the world around them and decide what to believe?
Humanists believe the world is a natural place with no supernatural side (they will be atheists or agnostics). They believe that science and the search for evidence provides the best way to answer our questions about the world.
Where do we come from? tells the scientific story of our origins, from the Big Bang, through the evolution of stars, planets, life, and, ultimately, us, revealing what we are made from and how we are connected to the rest of the living world. This short but beautiful animation highlights the wonder in this story that humanists (and others) might draw on as a source of inspiration, meaning, and value in their lives.
Download the accompanying teacher’s notes.
Children’s author Philip Pullman describes how our curiosity makes us special.
Individual humanists answer the question
Explore different types of evidence
How might our beliefs be mistaken and what counts as good evidence?
Where do we come from? tells the scientific story of our origins, from the Big Bang, through the evolution of stars, planets, life, and, ultimately, us, revealing what we are made from and how we are connected to the rest of the living world. This short but beautiful animation highlights the wonder in this story that humanists (and others) might draw on as a source of inspiration, meaning, and value in their lives.
Download the accompanying teacher’s notes.
Individual humanists answer the question
Is ‘humanism or religion’ a better way to frame the division between these two approaches to answering questions?
Which questions can and can’t science answer?
How might humanists explain unusual events?
Stephen Fry explains how humanists make decisions about what to believe.
Theoretical physicist, author and broadcaster, Jim Al-Khalili, explains why science communication is important to humanists.
Where do our beliefs come from? This film from TrueTube explores how the circumstances of our birth and our upbringing affect the person we become. Great for exploring questions around freedom of belief.
How might a humanist respond?
Individual humanists answer the question
Is ‘humanism or religion’ a better way to frame the division between these two approaches to answering questions?
Which questions can and can’t science answer?
How might humanists explain unusual events?
Stephen Fry explains how humanists make decisions about what to believe.
Humanists explain how they make decisions about what they believe to be true.
Philosopher Stephen Law introduces what humanists might mean when they talk about scepticism.
Philosopher AC Grayling emphasises the importance of basing our beliefs on rational foundations.
Philosopher Stephen Law explains how it is better to think about our beliefs as appearing on a scale of reasonableness.
Theoretical physicist, author, and broadcaster Jim Al-Khalili talks about whether science is a force for good and how it can enrich our lives.
Film: How did we develop our understanding of the universe? A celebration of the scientific endeavour, and how our capacity to question makes human beings special.
Where do our beliefs come from? This film from TrueTube explores how the circumstances of our birth and our upbringing affect the person we become. Great for exploring questions around freedom of belief.
Stephen Fry explains how humanists make decisions about what to believe.
Humanists explain how they make decisions about what they believe to be true.
Philosopher Stephen Law introduces what humanists might mean when they talk about scepticism.
Philosopher AC Grayling emphasises the importance of basing our beliefs on rational foundations.
Philosopher Stephen Law explains how it is better to think about our beliefs as appearing on a scale of reasonableness.
Theoretical physicist, author, and broadcaster Jim Al-Khalili talks about whether science is a force for good and how it can enrich our lives.
Karl Popper and Falsification: A BBC animation on the scientific method and the importance of our claims being capable of being falsified
Film: How did we develop our understanding of the universe? A celebration of the scientific endeavour, and how our capacity to question makes human beings special.
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