How Did David Hume Govern The Universe
“Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too.” Voltaire, the famous French philosopher, spoke those words hundreds of years ago. For philosophers during the 18th century, being able to think freely was sometimes difficult in the face of the church. The fate of Galileo seemed to reinforce some philosophers’ opposition to religion in salons all over Europe.1 Within the Church of England, Thomas Sprat openly encouraged people to pursue science while being church members.2 Thomas Paley and Isaac Newton believed everything had a purpose, and we could not find this purpose without God, who was the prime creator of the universe.3 David Hume thought humans could never comprehend the origin of the universe while Robert Boyle
…show more content…
Individuals should discover why and how God governs the universe (lecture, fall, 2015). Hume suggested that, because humans were so inferior to God, they could never fully understand how the world came to be.30 Hume also implied that, due to the processes of nature, which Hume likens to machines, there was a preciseness in the world that all men should praise.31 Hume also suggested, through imagined interactions with Cleanthes, that the universe, in its design, was not perfect but was the result of God, who is constantly able to create and re-mold universes.32 The best representation of Thiry and Hume’s thoughts are in this Thiry quote: “The most important of our duties, then, is to seek means by which we may destroy delusions that can never do more than mislead us” (The System of Nature). Thiry further stated, “reason must be restored to its proper rank,--it must be rescued from the evil company with which it is associated” (The System of Nature). While Paley was talking about the complexities of the universe as being proof of God’s design, Hume suggested that human minds cannot comprehend the design of the universe.33 Newton believed that the only concrete proof of God was the universe itself.34 Natural Theology involved believing God was responsible for creating the universe and discovering it through natural processes and rationale (lecture, fall,
Individuals should discover why and how God governs the universe (lecture, fall, 2015). Hume suggested that, because humans were so inferior to God, they could never fully understand how the world came to be.30 Hume also implied that, due to the processes of nature, which Hume likens to machines, there was a preciseness in the world that all men should praise.31 Hume also suggested, through imagined interactions with Cleanthes, that the universe, in its design, was not perfect but was the result of God, who is constantly able to create and re-mold universes.32 The best representation of Thiry and Hume’s thoughts are in this Thiry quote: “The most important of our duties, then, is to seek means by which we may destroy delusions that can never do more than mislead us” (The System of Nature). Thiry further stated, “reason must be restored to its proper rank,--it must be rescued from the evil company with which it is associated” (The System of Nature). While Paley was talking about the complexities of the universe as being proof of God’s design, Hume suggested that human minds cannot comprehend the design of the universe.33 Newton believed that the only concrete proof of God was the universe itself.34 Natural Theology involved believing God was responsible for creating the universe and discovering it through natural processes and rationale (lecture, fall,