David Humes Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion Essay

David Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion provide conflicting arguments about the nature of the universe, what humans can know about it, and how their knowledge can affect their religious beliefs. The most compelling situation relates to philosophical skepticism and religion; the empiricist character, Cleanthes, strongly defends his position that skepticism is beneficial to religious belief. Under fire from an agnostic skeptic and a rationalist, the empiricist view on skepticism and religion is strongest in it’s defense. This debate is a fundamental part of the study of philosophy: readers must choose their basic understanding of the universe and it’s creator, upon which all other assumptions about the universe will be made.†¦show more content†¦When they are young, they will be taught about the supremacy of religion and the fallibility of philosophy and science. Demea’s theology resembles the â€Å"god of the gaps† perspective , where any failings of science and philosophy is more reason to believe that God exists within the things we cannot explain. He hopes that as his students learn of this, they will believe that the paramount objective of their education is to learn the nature of God, who is most important and constant being in the universe. To summarize, Demea believes that humans will never fully understand the universe; thus, the failure of science to provide explanations is the greatest proof of God and greatest justification for faith. Philo heckles the ideas of Demea while imposing his own ideas. As an empiricist and a skeptic, he calls to â€Å"let us become thoroughly sensible of the weakness, blindness, and narrow limits of human reason.† (131) Philo believes that because humans have been historically ignorant about science and the universe, that humanityShow MoreRelatedDavid Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion Essay example1535 Words   |  7 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion we are introduced to three characters that serve the purpose to debate God and his nature, more specifically, what can mankind infer about God and his nature. The three characters; Demea, Philo, and Cleanthes all engage in a debate concerning this question and they all serve the purpose of supporting their views on the subject. It is the â€Å"argument from design† put forth by Cleanthes that is the focal point of the discussion, and it is Demea andRead MoreE ssay on An Analysis of Humes Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion4493 Words   |  18 PagesAn Analysis of Humes Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion ABSTRACT: Humes Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779) may be read in the way Cleanthes (and Philo as well) reads Nature, as analogous to human artifice and contrivance. The Dialogues and Nature then are both texts, with an intelligent author or Author, and analogies may be started from these five facts of Humes text: the independence of Humes characters; the non-straightforwardness of the characters discourse; the way theRead MoreWilliam Paley And David Hume1260 Words   |  6 PagesAristotle. This discussion will focus on the differing works of authors William Paley and David Hume and I will argue that there is an Intelligent Designer for our universe. 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Philo, said toRead MoreAnalysis of Diaglogues Concerning Natural Religion by David Hume1445 Words   |  6 PagesWord Count: Professor Nelson Philosophical Perspectives 12 October 2012 Writing Assignment #1 Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by David Hume is a philosophical piece concerning the existence of God. Arguments for and against the existence of God are portrayed in dialogue through three characters; Demea, Cleanthes, and Philo. All three agree that God exists, but they drastically differ in their opinions of God’s attributes or characteristics, and if man can understand God. The charactersRead MoreTeleological Argument for the Existence of God Essay2079 Words   |  9 Pagesput forward by William Paley in 1802, in his Natural Theology. Paley offers an argument from design that purports to show a clear and distinct reason why one should hold a belief in God, due to the inherent features of the world. 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