David Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
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Part XII of Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
Introduction
Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by Hume tries to explain whether there is a possibility of religious belief being rational. Hume being an empiricist, someone who believes that all kinds of knowledge are got through experience, strongly reasons that beliefs are rational only if they are adequately reinforced by experiential evidence. This leads us to the question that seek to find out whether there is sufficient evidence in the world that allows individuals to assume an infinitely wise, good, perfect and powerful God. Hume is not concerned if individuals can rationally prove the existence of God but if they can draw conclusions on the nature of God.
Discussion
Hume has presented three characters that he has given different positions to represent on the issue. The three characters are in a conversational dialogue. Demea is given the responsibility to argue for religious Orthodoxy. He reasons that there is no …show more content…
According to him, it is bad for morality since it is responsible for many worldly evils, it has also caused a majority of civil wars, oppressions, persecutions and slavery. Furthermore, he argues that it promotes selfishness instead of selflessness as a result of too much focus on the salvation of a believer’s soul. This makes religious people only care about themselves and lack developed capacities to care about others (Hume 85). He fails to see how organized religion can effectively promote good. This is because organized religion strives to influence people into morality by promising them reward and punishment. However, he believes that people are not motivated by vague, uncertain and distant promises but their own natural inclinations. He is convinced that people are motivated to be good by the moral, basic human sentiments of benevolence which drives them towards compassion and desires of a just
Course:
Tutor:
Date:
Part XII of Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
Introduction
Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by Hume tries to explain whether there is a possibility of religious belief being rational. Hume being an empiricist, someone who believes that all kinds of knowledge are got through experience, strongly reasons that beliefs are rational only if they are adequately reinforced by experiential evidence. This leads us to the question that seek to find out whether there is sufficient evidence in the world that allows individuals to assume an infinitely wise, good, perfect and powerful God. Hume is not concerned if individuals can rationally prove the existence of God but if they can draw conclusions on the nature of God.
Discussion
Hume has presented three characters that he has given different positions to represent on the issue. The three characters are in a conversational dialogue. Demea is given the responsibility to argue for religious Orthodoxy. He reasons that there is no …show more content…
According to him, it is bad for morality since it is responsible for many worldly evils, it has also caused a majority of civil wars, oppressions, persecutions and slavery. Furthermore, he argues that it promotes selfishness instead of selflessness as a result of too much focus on the salvation of a believer’s soul. This makes religious people only care about themselves and lack developed capacities to care about others (Hume 85). He fails to see how organized religion can effectively promote good. This is because organized religion strives to influence people into morality by promising them reward and punishment. However, he believes that people are not motivated by vague, uncertain and distant promises but their own natural inclinations. He is convinced that people are motivated to be good by the moral, basic human sentiments of benevolence which drives them towards compassion and desires of a just