The Natural History Of Religion [Paperback]

David Hume (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 7, 2007 | ISBN-10: 1595479015 | ISBN-13: 978-1595479013

As every enquiry, which regards religion, is of the utmost importance, there are two questions in particular, which challenge our attention, to wit, that concerning its foundation in reason, and that concerning its origin in human nature. Happily, the first question, which is the most important, admits of the most obvious, at least, the clearest solution. The whole frame of nature bespeaks an intelligent author; and no rational enquirer can, after serious reflection, suspend his belief a moment with regard to the primary principles of genuine Theism and Religion. But the other question, concerning the origin of religion in human nature, is exposed to some more difficulty. The belief of invisible, intelligent power has been very generally diffused over the human race, in all places and in all ages; but it has neither perhaps been so universal as to admit of no exception, nor has it been, in any degree, uniform in the ideas, which it has suggested. Some nations have been discovered, who entertained no sentiments of Religion, if travellers and historians may be credited; and no two nations, and scarce any two men, have ever agreed precisely in the same sentiments. It would appear, therefore, that this preconception springs not from an original instinct or primary impression of nature, such as gives rise to self-love, affection between the sexes, love of progeny, gratitude, resentment; since every instinct of this kind has been found absolutely universal in all nations and ages, and has always a precise determinate object, which it inflexibly pursues. The first religious principles must be secondary; such as may easily be perverted by various accidents and causes, and whose operation too, in some cases, may, by an extraordinary concurrence of circumstances, be altogether prevented. What those principles are, which give rise to the original belief, and what those accidents and causes are, which direct its operation, is the subject of our present enquiry.

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Library of Liberal Arts title. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 68 pages
• Publisher: NuVision Publications, LLC (June 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595479015
• ISBN-13: 978-1595479013
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,141,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Important Complement to the Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, January 13, 2007

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R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Natural History of Religion (Paperback)

This important essay is part of Hume's devastating criticism of religious belief. The other crucial components are the better known Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion and the On Miracles Section of the Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Ideally, it would be best to read all these together, a relatively easy task as the individual essays are relatively short and contain some of Hume's clearest and most entertaining writing. In Natural History, Hume examines the essentially irrational character of religious belief, with its foundation in human anxieties and the human tendency to personify human characteristics in the natural world. Hume goes on to describe the emergence of monotheism not as a rational process based on a philosophic appreciation of the necessity of accepting the existence of a Designer (an argument he will demolish in the Dialogues) but on the further extension of human irrationality. In a typically ironic approach, Hume then argues that polytheism is more likely to produce social benefits than monotheism and argues strongly against the idea that religion is actually useful for cultivating true morality. Among other things, Natural History exhibits Hume's remarkable command of classical literature and his incisive writing style.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Challenging, interesting read, April 1, 2011

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Christopher Utzig "Chris Utzig" (New Paltz, New York) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: David Hume: The Natural History of Religion (Paperback)

This work is essential reading for students of Philosophy and Religion, and important for it's implications on society and politics.

I strongly recommend reading this work.