Religion had once been the driving force in the society of man, as a way to establish and produce “civilized” societies. Prior to the religious changes leading to the Age of Enlightenment, people had believed that every event was a direct result of God’s intervention. Yet as more scientific discoveries and the ideas of natural laws began to flourish, religious obligations were no longer a major primary concern. In response, philosophers sought ways to reform faith and limit religious controversies within political systems. Rather than focusing on God and the divinity, during the enlightenment people began to focus more so on the accomplishments of man.
Although many of the enlightenment thinkers had been educated through religious systems, …show more content…
In the religions of what one may consider barbarous, even if there were differences in each sect, everyone had adhered to the traditions of their own sect without reasoning and disputation. But in the case of Christianity, and other organized religions, Hume notes that new sects were “obliged to from a system of speculative opinion; to divide their articles of faith” (Hume, pgs. 38-39). In the essay, “Of Superstitions and Enthusiam”, Hume notes that “Superstition is favorably to priestly power, and enthusiasm not less or rather more contrary to it, than sound reason and philosophy” (Hume, pg. 47). Superstition, according to Hume, paints man in such vile “colors” that man feels unworthy and has recourse against those who are considered more favorable to the “divinity”. Superstition is suggested as the manipulating aspect of all religions. Enthusiasm, on the contrary, tends to elude all external …show more content…
Like Hume and Voltaire, D’Alembert was a skeptic to organized religion and the divinity. In “The Preliminary Discourse” D`Alembert suggests that the debate on materialism, stems from arguments of religion that are transformed (yet he does not defend any dogmas; it is a refashion idea of Christianity). He also notes that revealed history is composed of religion and social interdependence. Essentially, human history, according to D`Alembert, is viewed as memory that sacred history: the bible, God acting in time. This particular view pertaining to the evolution of history is further exemplified in Hume’s essay “Parties and Revolution Settlement”. It poses the question on ‘why is what was acceptable no longer acceptable?’ Hume states that “while they pretend to inculcate an axiom, peculiar to English jurisprudence, they violate the most established principles of human nature” (Hume, pg. 236). The law is simply a jurisdiction of
Although many of the enlightenment thinkers had been educated through religious systems, …show more content…
In the religions of what one may consider barbarous, even if there were differences in each sect, everyone had adhered to the traditions of their own sect without reasoning and disputation. But in the case of Christianity, and other organized religions, Hume notes that new sects were “obliged to from a system of speculative opinion; to divide their articles of faith” (Hume, pgs. 38-39). In the essay, “Of Superstitions and Enthusiam”, Hume notes that “Superstition is favorably to priestly power, and enthusiasm not less or rather more contrary to it, than sound reason and philosophy” (Hume, pg. 47). Superstition, according to Hume, paints man in such vile “colors” that man feels unworthy and has recourse against those who are considered more favorable to the “divinity”. Superstition is suggested as the manipulating aspect of all religions. Enthusiasm, on the contrary, tends to elude all external …show more content…
Like Hume and Voltaire, D’Alembert was a skeptic to organized religion and the divinity. In “The Preliminary Discourse” D`Alembert suggests that the debate on materialism, stems from arguments of religion that are transformed (yet he does not defend any dogmas; it is a refashion idea of Christianity). He also notes that revealed history is composed of religion and social interdependence. Essentially, human history, according to D`Alembert, is viewed as memory that sacred history: the bible, God acting in time. This particular view pertaining to the evolution of history is further exemplified in Hume’s essay “Parties and Revolution Settlement”. It poses the question on ‘why is what was acceptable no longer acceptable?’ Hume states that “while they pretend to inculcate an axiom, peculiar to English jurisprudence, they violate the most established principles of human nature” (Hume, pg. 236). The law is simply a jurisdiction of