Miracles And Religion In David Hume's Analysis

In section X, Part 1of his influential exploratory book “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding”, David Hume argues mankind doesn’t have any reason nor justification to believe in miracles, while also stating that miracles are not a basis of religion. Miracles and religion seem as if they have always been related, although what each religion considers to be miracles differs, therefore miracles cannot be a basis of religion. Due to the fact that miracles are merely experiences of which humans see, the belief that personally seeing a miracle is more reliable than other fellow human beings is customary. With the tendency to be consumed of exaggerated, unreasonable, and false information, miracles miraculously still remain to be thought of as true regardless of who experienced the miracle. The conclusion for the …show more content…
“Upon the whole, then, it appears, that no testimony for any kind of miracle has ever amounted to a probability, much less to a proof; and that, even supposing it amounted to a proof, it would be opposed by another proof; derived from the very nature of the fact, which it would endeavor to establish (Hume, Section X). The reference listed is an example of Hume’s many examples explaining the reasons why mankind does not have a logical reason to believe in miracles. It could be interpreted from the numerous examples that Hume is denying the existence of miracles, although it seems as if Hume accepts the existence of miracles, but denies the act of believing in them. The belief of miracles existing and not believing in them, and the belief of miracles not existing and not believing in them are extremely similar, although they are able to be distinguished. Due to Hume’s argument being clear and his meaning of the argument being unclear, it is therefore easy for readers to interpret the meaning of Hume’s writing