Introduction
The aim of this toolkit is to explore
what gives humanists a sense of meaning and purpose in life and why. It focuses on three main points.
The first is that
humanists base their ideas about the world on reason and evidence.
The second is that
on the basis of reason and evidence, humanists conclude that this is the only life we know we have. Humanists say that there is no evidence of a life after death.
The third is that
humanists therefore conclude that as humans we create our own meaning and purposes in life. They say that there is no evidence of a purpose or destiny beyond our own human lives. Humanists say that we create our own meaning and purposes in life using our human attributes, including creativity, intelligence, imagination, wonder, love, and empathy for others. They say that we should make the most of these abilities to live full and happy lives and help others to do the same. This also means that we must look to our own human attributes to deal with the problems in the world.
Summary of Activities
The students play a short game exploring what their priorities in life might be. They watch some short video clips of humanists giving their views on life after death and where they find meaning and purpose in life. They summarise humanist ideas using a writing frame. A choice of creative activities then gives students an opportunity to compare humanist ideas with those from other perspectives and reflect on their own views.
Curriculum Links
Religious Education, in particular the themes of ‘Beliefs and Concepts’, ‘Authority‘, ‘Religion and Science’, ‘Expressions of Spirituality’, and ‘Ethics and Relationships’.
Science, particularly 1.1 ‘Scientific Thinking’.
Citizenship, particularly 1.2 ‘Rights and Responsibilities’.
Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education, particularly 1.1 ‘Personal Identities’, 1.4 ‘Relationships’ and 1.5 ‘Diversity’.
English, opportunities for Speaking and Listening, Reading, and Writing.
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