In 1949 Corliss Lamont publishes Humanism as a Philosophy, later The Philosophy of Humanism: the movement's standard textbook through eight editions. Lamont, a philosopher and civil libertarian who funds much of the movement's work, sets out humanism as a complete philosophy of nature, ethics, and society without supernatural belief.
Tagged: Secular Humanism
The Event
- Date
- 1949 (exact)
- Era
- The Organized Movement; Standard periodization of secular humanist history
- Location
- New York; today New York, New York
- Traditions
- Secular Humanism
- Streams
- Secular Humanism
- Key figures
- Corliss Lamont
- Key texts
- The Philosophy of Humanism
Primary Sources
- Lamont, Corliss. Humanism as a Philosophy. New York: Philosophical Library, 1949.
Secondary Sources
- Kurtz, Paul, ed. Humanist Manifestos I and II. Buffalo: Prometheus Books, 1973.
- Lamont, Corliss. The Philosophy of Humanism. New York: Humanist Press, eighth edition, 1997.
- Walter, Nicolas. Humanism: What's in the Word. London: Rationalist Press Association, 1997.
Provenance: HIST-1389; confidence 0.95; accessed 2026-10-30.
Related on This Site
Art Tradition
Non-Theistic and Secular
Art without transcendence: humanist meaning-making, museums as secular temples, and protest art.
History Event
Humanist Manifesto II
1973
History Event
Julian Huxley takes the helm of UNESCO
1946
History Event
Kurtz founds the Council for Secular Humanism
1980
History Event
The British Humanist Association is founded
1967
History Event
The Center for Inquiry is founded
1991
History Event
The International Humanist and Ethical Union is founded
1952
History Event
Torcaso v. Watkins names secular humanism in law
1961