Hume: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion: And Other Writings (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy)

David Hume's Dialogues concerning Natural Religion, first published in 1779, is one of the most influential works in the philosophy of religion and the most artful instance of philosophical dialogue since the dialogues of Plato. It presents a fictional conversation between a sceptic, an orthodox Christian, and a Newtonian theist concerning evidence for the existence of an intelligent cause of nature based on observable features of the world. This new edition presents it together with several of Hume's other, shorter writings about religion, and with brief selections from the work of Pierre Bayle, who influenced both Hume's views on religion and the dialectical style of the Dialogues. The volume is completed by an introduction which sets the Dialogues in its philosophical and historical contexts. Half-title......Page 3 Series title......Page 4 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Introduction......Page 13 Natural religion, philosophical dialogue, and skepticism......Page 15 Arguments for the existence and nature of God......Page 20 Cleanthes’ design argument......Page 22 The instinctive feeling of intelligent design......Page 24 Alternative hypotheses......Page 26 Demea’s cosmological argument......Page 29 The problem of evil......Page 31 Verbal disputes and true religion......Page 36 Conclusion......Page 41 Chronology......Page 43 II. General introductions to Hume......Page 46 Advanced readings......Page 47 Some advanced readings......Page 48 The Dialogues......Page 51 Supplementary texts......Page 52 References to Hume’s other writings......Page 54 Abbreviations......Page 55 Dialogues concerning Natural Religion......Page 57 Pamphilus to Hermippus......Page 59 Part 1......Page 62 Part 2......Page 73 Part 3......Page 85 Part 4......Page 91 Part 5......Page 97 Part 6......Page 102 Part 7......Page 108 Part 8......Page 114 Part 9......Page 119 Part 10......Page 124 Part 11......Page 134 Part 12......Page 145 Other writings......Page 159 Philosophy......Page 161 Fourth objection......Page 165 Letter to Francis Hutcheson, March 16, 1740 (extract)......Page 169 Letter to William Mure, June 30, 1743 (extract)......Page 171 1. Letter of February 18, 1751 (extract)......Page 174 2. Letter of March 10, 1751 (extract)......Page 176 Introduction......Page 180 II Origin of polytheism......Page 181 III The same subject continued......Page 183 XIV Bad influence of popular religions on morality......Page 186 XV General corollary......Page 190 1 Bayle on materialism vs intelligent design......Page 193 Note D......Page 201 Index......Page 209 Half-title 3 Series title 4 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Acknowledgments 11 Introduction 13 Natural religion, philosophical dialogue, and skepticism 15 Arguments for the existence and nature of God 20 Cleanthes’ design argument 22 The instinctive feeling of intelligent design 24 Alternative hypotheses 26 Demea’s cosmological argument 29 The problem of evil 31 Verbal disputes and true religion 36 Conclusion 41 Chronology 43 Further reading 46 I. Life and correspondence 46 II. General introductions to Hume 46 III. Hume’s philosophy of religion 47 Advanced readings 47 IV. Hume’s Dialogues 48 Book-length commentaries 48 Some advanced readings 48 Note on the text 51 The Dialogues 51 Supplementary texts 52 References to Hume’s other writings 54 Abbreviations 55 Dialogues concerning Natural Religion 57 Pamphilus to Hermippus 59 Part 1 62 Part 2 73 Part 3 85 Part 4 91 Part 5 97 Part 6 102 Part 7 108 Part 8 114 Part 9 119 Part 10 124 Part 11 134 Part 12 145 Other writings 159 From Hume’s memoranda 161 Philosophy 161 Fragment on evil 165 Sect. 7 165 Fourth objection 165 Letter to Francis Hutcheson, March 16, 1740 (extract) 169 Letter to William Mure, June 30, 1743 (extract) 171 Letters to Gilbert Elliot of Minto 174 1. Letter of February 18, 1751 (extract) 174 2. Letter of March 10, 1751 (extract) 176 From The Natural History of Religion 180 Introduction 180 II Origin of polytheism 181 III The same subject continued 183 XIV Bad influence of popular religions on morality 186 XV General corollary 190 Selections from Bayle 193 1 Bayle on materialism vs intelligent design 193 2 Bayle on Manicheanism 201 Note D 201 Index 209 "David Hume's Dialogues concerning Natural Religion, first published in 1779, is one of the most influential works in the philosophy of religion and the most artful instance of philosophical dialogue since the dialogues of Plato. It presents a fictional conversation between a skeptic, an orthodox Christian, and a Newtonian theist concerning evidence for the existence of an intelligent cause of nature based on observable features of the world. This new edition presents it together with several of Hume's other, shorter writings about religion, and with brief selections from the work of Pierre Bayle, who influenced both Hume's views on religion and the dialectical style of the Dialogues. The volume is completed by an introduction which sets the Dialogues in its philosophical and historical contexts."--Jacket Introduction -- Chronology -- Further reading -- Note on the text -- List of abbreviations -- Dialogues concerning natural religion -- Pamphilus to Hermippus Part 1 -- Part 2 -- Part 3 -- Part 4 -- Part 5 -- Part 6 -- Part 7 -- Part 8 -- Part 9 -- Part 10 -- Part 11 -- Part 12 -- Other writings -- From Hume's memoranda -- Fragment on evil -- Letter to Francis Hutcheson -- Letter to William Mure -- Letters to Gilbert Elliot -- From the natural history of religion -- Selections from Pierre Bayle (translated by James Dye) Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion -- Pamphilus To Hermippus -- From Hume's Memoranda -- Fragment On Evil -- Letter To Francis Hutcheson -- Letter To William Mure -- Letters To Gilbert Elliot -- From The Natural History Of Religion -- Selections From Pierre Bayle. David Hume ; Edited By Dorothy Coleman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.