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Abstract

Within a multi-cultural and multi-religious society, exposed to the challenges of globalization, a traditional understanding of humanism offers insufficient frameworks for an adequate comprehension of human agency, its flourishing and search for meaning. The process of globalization continuously shakes the pedagogical assumptions and principles of education, acceptable for a mono-cultural or religious society. If education leads us to make the best of ourselves or our students, then we should first answer anew the question about what we mean by the best in a multi-cultural and multi-religious society. This article offers some guidelines for further pedagogical and philosophical reflection on a humanism that is more suitable for our life in the process of globalization and modernity. The globalization process moves us toward a better and more complex comprehension of what “human” means within a universe of divergent cultures, religions, traditions, and races. I call this humanism universal humanism, based on the Greek word kaqolou, comprising both universality and wholeness. Such humanism includes not only the main characteristics of humanism rooted in the Greek and Roman culture, in which our Western tradition is based; it integrates also the best about the human from non-Western traditions. As universal, this humanism helps us transcend singular cultures, nations, political systems, religions, and, by default, discover or explore anew the meaning of the human person on a global, i.e. universal level. The last part of this article suggests some pedagogical attitudes that will help us to embrace and remain in a dialogical relationship with all of humanity, in order to enrich our comprehension of the incomparable worth of the human person, this time from a universal perspective.

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