antihumanism
|an-ti-hu-man-ism|
/ˌæn.tiˈhjuː.mən.ɪ.zəm/
opposition to humanism
Etymology
'antihumanism' originates from a Modern English compound combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') and the noun 'humanism' (ultimately from Latin 'humanus' via Renaissance Latin/Italian 'umanismo' and French 'humanisme'), where 'humanus' meant 'human' or 'humane'.
'humanism' developed from Latin 'humanitas' and Italian 'umanismo' during the Renaissance; the prefix 'anti-' (Greek) was attached in Modern English to form compounds like 'antihumanism' in the 20th century to denote opposition to humanist ideas, especially in philosophical debates.
Initially it simply signified 'opposition to humanist ideas'; over time, especially in academic contexts, it gained the specialized sense of a philosophical stance rejecting a unified human subject and emphasizing structural or impersonal determinants.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
general opposition to humanism or to the principles and values associated with humanism (the belief in human worth, dignity, and agency).
Her writings express a clear antihumanism, criticizing the assumption that human nature is the ultimate moral standard.
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Noun 2
a specific philosophical position (prominent in 20th-century continental theory) that rejects humanist concepts of a unified, autonomous human subject and emphasizes structures, systems, or impersonal forces instead.
Althusser's brand of antihumanism challenged the humanist idea of a coherent, sovereign subject in Marxist theory.
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Last updated: 2025/09/02 08:23