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What Is Humanism? What Is Post-Structuralism?

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1. What is Humanism? What is Post structuralism?

Humanism refers to the belief of human-centered, and not centered by god. It is said that in the pre-humanist western culture, god was presumed to the origin of the universe, and the center of meaning. After the 17th – 18th centuries, the figure of god was slowly replaced by ‘man’, as it becomes the center and measure of all things. Humanism is also centrally concerned with ‘reason’ (Rationalism), where it enables us not only to think, but also to act correctly. Moreover, it also emphasizes on individualism. According to the humanist system, individuals are unique and autonomous by nature, rational and free. Humanism also embraces the idea of ‘general principles’ (Idealism), these principles are believed to be equally applicable to all people, at all times, in all places (Universalism). Besides, these principles must also be able to be proven to be true in and through careful observation and rational, objective methods of argumentation, known as ‘Empiricism’. Last but not least, humanism is founded on dichotomous logic, where the world is centered with a serious of oppositions. (E.g. Male vs. Female, Good vs. Bad).

Post-structuralism is referred to ‘the crisis of humanism’, where there is a diminishing belief in rationality, absolute truth, objectivity, universal principles and dichotomous logic. It claims that people cannot always be rational and objective, as we are always affected by our emotions and results in being more subjective. Moreover, poststructuralist also points out ‘the repressive hypothesis’, where individual’s unique and innate self is affected by the society and culture where he/she lives, rather than an autonomous being. Rather than focusing on sameness, post structuralism is more concern with differences,
How these differences are constructed and how they affect meaning-making. Moreover, post-structuralism also brings the practice of deconstruction on binary oppositions. It tries to undo all the things we think we know, the knowledge we take for granted.

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