3rd year Contextual Studies 02/02/09

Humanism

The dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appealing to universal human qualities, particular race related. Humanism can be considered as a process by which truth and morality is sought through human investigation Humanists endorse universal morality based on the commonality of the human condition, suggesting that solutions to human social and cultural problems cannot be just based on a small community.


Positivism

That which holds the only authentic knowledge is that based on actual experience. Such knowledge can come only from affirming that the theories are true through strict scientific method. The positivist view is sometimes referred to as scientific way of thinking, and is often shared by the modern day person who believe in the necessity of progress through scientific progress, and by naturalists, who argue that any method for gaining knowledge should be limited to natural, physical, and material approaches. In psychology, a positive approach is good behavior


Materialism

That holds the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is matter, and is considered a form of being able to physically touch the object or matter. Fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions; therefore, matter is the only substance.


Enlightenment

Broadly means wisdom or understanding enabling clarity of perception. However, the English word covers two concepts which can be quite distinct: religious or spiritual enlightenment and secular or intellectual enlightenment.
In religious use it is mostly associated with south and east Asia religious experience, where as secular the concept refers mainly to the European intellectual movement known as the age of enlightenment.


Bibliography: http//www.wikipedia.com