anti-humanism
|an-ti-hu-man-ism|
/ˌæntiˈhjuːmənɪzəm/
against humanism / opposes human-centered values
Etymology
'anti-humanism' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'antí', meaning 'against') + 'humanism' (from Latin 'humanitas' via Renaissance Latin and French/English use, meaning concern with human values and studies).
'humanism' comes from Latin 'humanitas' and developed in Renaissance thought as 'humanism'; the compound 'anti-humanism' arose in modern intellectual discourse (particularly mid-20th century) to label positions opposing humanism, gaining prominence in Marxist and post-structuralist debates (e.g., works of Althusser, Foucault).
Initially a literal compound meaning 'against humanism,' the term specialized in the 20th century to denote specific philosophical critiques that deny the centrality or autonomy of the human subject; in popular use it can also mean general hostility toward humans.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
hostility toward, rejection of, or opposition to human beings, human welfare, or human interests (close to misanthropy in everyday use).
Some critics described the work as promoting anti-humanism because it depicted people as expendable.
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Noun 2
a philosophical or theoretical stance that criticizes humanism and the centrality of the autonomous human subject (notably used in Marxist and post-structuralist debates — e.g., Althusserian anti-humanism, critiques that emphasize structures over individual agency).
Althusser's writings are often cited as a key source of 20th-century anti-humanism in Marxist theory.
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Last updated: 2025/11/01 04:00