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A Critical Evaluation Of David Hume's Critique Of Natural Religion
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1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is significant because not
much attention has been paid or interest shown in studying Hume’s
Philosophy of religion. Hume is basically renowned for his empiricist
epistemological principles, but not many know how he applied these
principles in the realm of religion. Hume’s works, A treatise of Human
nature and An enquiry concerning Human understanding have received more
attention than his Dialogues concerning natural religion. Perhaps this
is because the Dialogues were published post thumously.
Consequently,
this study is significant as it draws our attention and invites us to
critically reflect on Hume’s views on religion with the aim of
appraising such views and establishing it validity or relevance.
1.4 METHOD AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Every
discipline, every science has its peculiar method of investigation,,
this being a treatise in philosophy, one would be expected to apply the
method or methods of philosophical enquiry or investigation. The
activity of philosophizing is essentially a reflective activity, thus
the method of philosophy involves several related activities.
Speculation, analysis, critical evaluation, logical explanation and
prescription, since the philosophical method relies on ‘pure reason’ the
critical temperament is carried all through the study.
David Hume’s
philosophy of religion will be critically examined and its implication
will be highlighted. This will clearly show the strengths or weakness of
Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, but the scope of our
study is not limited to the dialogues, we need to have a general
understanding of Hume’s empiricist epistemological formulation,
particularly his theory of impression, and ideas, because this is the
foundation upon which his entire philosophical system rests, as well as
his attack on religion.
1.5 ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY
The study
is broken up into four chapters. The first chapter concerns itself with
the methodological consideration. This chapter is introductory and
states the problem, the objective and purpose of the study. Its
significance and justification the method adopted in the study in the
scope of the study.
Our concern in the second chapter is of broad
over view of Hume’s philosophy. Here we will examine his postulations in
epistemology for which he has won great renown in Ethics, in this
chapter we will also attempt to bring to focus Hume’s place in the
history of philosophy.
The third chapter focuses on Hume’s views on
religion and this is the main concern of our study, we examine first
Hume’s concept of God and then his criticism of the argument from design
as a proof of God’s existence. We also in this chapter examine Hume’s
views on miracles, Hume was highly skeptical of reports of miracle as we
shall see subsequently.
Hume also addressed the question of the
presence of evil in the world that an infinitely good and omnipotent
deity created. We also concern ourselves with those issues in chapter
three that chapter is rounded up with a discussion of Hume’s views on
soul and his position on religion generally.
The fourth and
concluding chapter is evaluatory. Here we critically examine the
postulations of Hume presented earlier with a view to discovering the
strengths or weaknesses of his arguments. We also examine the position
of some commentators and interpreters of Hume’s position. Generally Hume
is considered to be an atheist in matters of God and religion. But we
raise the critical question, is this classification of Hume correct?
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