Anthropocentric Humanism

(anthropo-, from Gr. anthropos, man, human; and Gr. kentron, center. Humanism, see etymology at human being). A position based on the centrality of the human being and generally excluding any theistic proposal. Additionally, a.h. rejects the domination of one human being by another, replacing those actions with the attempt to control nature, which is defined as the medium over which humanity should exert unrestricted power. There are differences with N.H. in that the latter starts with the centrality of the human being but does not reject theistic positions. Moreover, N.H. considers nature not as a passive medium but as an active force operating in interaction with the human phenomenon. Consequently, the impulse toward individual and social improvement must bear in mind the human impact on nature, something that imposes limitations that are not only moral but must be reflected in legislation, the legal system, and environmental planning.