Who Are Some Famous Humanists?

Humanism is a positive proactive view of humans and the nature of our existance. Humanists believe in being responsible members of society, using reason and shared values to order society and decide moral issues. Humanism rejects world views based on belief in a Deity or Deities (religion), and is often considered a proactive alternative to merely being agnostic or a-religious.

Past presidents of the Humanist society of the USA, include:

Isaac Asimov (science fiction writer and thinker)

Kurt Vonnegut (author, honorary President)

Past presidents of the British Humanist Assocation:

Linda Smith (broadcaster and comedienne)

Clare Rayner OBE (broadcaster and journalist)

Winner of the Humanist of the Year Award:

Linus Pauling (winner of Nobel Price in chemistry in 1954, and Nobel Peace price in 1962)

Other prominent people who have identified themselves as humanists:

Albert Schweitzer (in accepting the Nobel Peace Prize)

Michael Foot (former leader of the Labour Party)

Roy Hattersley (politician)

Baroness Blackstone (politician)

Richard Dawkins (British scientist, University Professor and author)

Ken Livingstone (currently mayor of London)
Frank Furedi (University Professor, and author of Paranoid Parenting and other books)

Ian McEwan (author)

Terry Pratchett (author)

Polly Toynbee (journalist)

Zoe Williams (columnist in The Guardian)