The Humanist Institute Announces New Online Course in Humanist Philosophy

The Humanist Institute, an affiliate organization of the American Humanist Association, is pleased to announce a new online course is now available. Philosophy and the Humanist Connection is the Institute’s latest addition to COHE, the Internet’s first website offering interactive courses in humanist thought.

Dr. Howard Radest, a founder and the first dean of The Humanist Institute, wrote this course. No one is better equipped to present humanist philosophy than Dr. Radest. He says, “In this course, we try to become philosophical critics. With that in mind, we explore some of the basic areas of humanist philosophy: what is humanism’s view of human nature, of nature, of culture, of religion, and of science. We ask ourselves the Socratic question: what do we mean by humanist philosophy in these areas and how well does it stand up to challenge.”

In addition to being a founder and Dean Emeritus of The Humanist Institute, Dr. Radest is a member of the National Council of Ethical Culture Leaders and on the editorial board of The Humanist magazine. He was an adjunct professor of philosophy at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort where he taught medical ethics and comparative religion. He served as director of the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York, executive director of the American Ethical Union, and Leader of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, New Jersey.

The Humanist Institute is an independent graduate level program that works in cooperation with existing humanist organizations. Its mission is to educate leaders and potential leaders to shape and deliver the message of humanism. To learn more about The Humanist Institute, visit www.humanistinstitute.org.