humanist
n.someone who believes that human reason and values are more important than religious beliefs. They focus on making the world better through science, ethics, and kindness.
n.an adherent of a philosophical system that emphasizes human agency, rationalism, and ethics over divine or supernatural intervention. Often associated with the Renaissance movement that revived interest in classical Greek and Roman thought.
“As a humanist, she believes in solving problems through reason.”
“The speaker argued from a humanist perspective, focusing on universal human rights rather than religious tradition.”
“The transition from medieval scholasticism to the humanist inquiry of the Renaissance marked a profound shift in how European scholars perceived the relationship between the individual and the state.”
Often used to describe historical scholars of the Renaissance or modern secular thinkers.
From Middle French humaniste.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.