The Case for Humanism is the premier textbook on the "big ideas" of Western humanism--secularism, rationalism, materialism, democracy, individualism, and many others. Students are invited to think critically about these powerful themes that run through Western thought from the ancient Greeks, to the Enlightenment, to the present day. The issues discussed raise some of the most provocative and relevant questions of our time, regardless of discipline--these are the major questions of science, religion, and philosophy. Drawing on an accessible, student-friendly format, the authors teach by example how to analyze arguments for and against humanist ideas, how to judge alternative theories, and how to evaluate humanism as a whole. The text breaks humanism down into 17 fundamental propositions for students to dissect. These elements make The Case for Humanism a natural for courses in introductory and comparative religion.