Scepticism and Belief in Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural ReligionSpringer Science & Business Media, 1986 M09 30 - 167 pages In the pages that follow, an attempt is made to examine those sections of the Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion which deal with the Argument from Design - the argument which purports to prove that certain observed similarities between the design of the world and machines of human contrivance countenance reasoning by analogy to the conclusion that the cause of the design of the world resembles human intelligence. The sections which deal with the Argument from Design, and with which I am therefore concerned, are Parts I through VIII and Part XII. I argue that a clue to Hume's discussion of the Argument from Design is to be found in Section XII of the first Enquiry, in which Hume presents his most thorough analysis of philosophic dogmatism and scepticism. The Dialogues, as will be shown, follows precisely Hume's recommendations in this Section for bringing the dogmatist to the position which Hume himself endorses - 'mitigated scepticism. ' It is, then, the position of the mitigated sceptic which is elaborated in Part XII of the Dialogues. The belief in an intelligent designer of the world is shown to be akin to certain other beliefs discussed by Hume - causality, physical objects, a continuing self - which are usually referred to in the literature as 'natural beliefs. ' The mitigated sceptic's defense of the unknowability of the divine nature is seen to be in accordance with Hume's view that whatever is believed naturally cannot be known or understood. |
Contents
The Philosophic Background to the Dialogues | 1 |
SCEPTICISM | 3 |
NATURAL BELIEFS | 10 |
Introduction and Part I of the Dialogues | 21 |
PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION CAN THERE BE A NATURAL THEOLOGY? | 24 |
Humes Dialogues Part II | 31 |
THE TWO VERSIONS OF THE ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN | 36 |
PHILOS INITIAL CRITICISMS OF THE ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN | 42 |
Humes Dialogues Part IV | 67 |
Humes Dialogues Part V | 85 |
Humes Dialogues Parts VIVIII | 97 |
Humes Dialogues Part XII | 121 |
PHILOS MITIGATED SCEPTICISM | 124 |
CORRECTING THE UNDISTINGUISHED PYRRHONIAN DOUBTS THROUGH COMMON SENSE | 127 |
CORRECTING THE UNDISTINGUISHED PYRRHONIAN DOUBTS THROUGH REFLECTION | 146 |
Bibliography | 157 |
Humes Dialogues Part III | 47 |
THE ARTICUALTE VOICE ILLUSTRATION | 50 |
THE LIVING VEGETABLE LIBRARY ILLLUSTRATION | 58 |
Index | 165 |
Other editions - View all
Scepticism and Belief in Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion S. Tweyman Limited preview - 2012 |
Scepticism and Belief in Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion S. Tweyman No preview available - 2011 |
Scepticism and Belief in Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion S. Tweyman No preview available - 1986 |
Common terms and phrases
absurd systems adaptation of means anthropomorphism argue Argument from Design Articulate Voice atheist belief in causality cause of design claim classification Concerning Natural Religion conclusion constant conjunction David Hume Demea Design Argument Dialogues Concerning Natural discussion divine dogmatist effects prove ends relations Epicurean hypothesis establish evidence existence experience external Hence Hermippus human contrivance hypothesis of design ideas illustrative analogies inference infinite regress intelligent cause intelligent contrivance intelligent designer internal principle machines of human maintains means to ends mitigated sceptic Nathan natural argument natural belief natural theology never observed organisms original cause Pamphilus paragraph passage Philo holds Philo's argument Philo's criticisms Philo's position philosophy present principle like effects principle of design principle of order prove like causes Pyrrhonism question rational reason regard sceptical arguments similar sophisms species suspense of judgment system of cosmogony theism Tweyman undistinguished doubts universe Vegetable Library VIII world and machines