The Natural History of ReligionHume's Natural History of Religion may, with his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion be held to mark the beginning of the Philosophy of Religion. Not so clearly a text illustrating modern technology indeed in its own day it was regarded as skeptical and subversive the Natural History is remarkably illustrative of the development of religious thought and is a brilliant philosophical contribution to the interpretation of religion. The editor of this reprint discusses Hume's purpose in writing the Natural History and assesses its influence at the present day. |
Contents
EDITORS INTRODUCTION | 7 |
AUTHORS INTRODUCTION | 21 |
That Polytheism was the primary Religion of Man | 23 |
Origin of Polytheism | 26 |
The same subject continued | 28 |
Deities not considered as creators or formers of the world | 32 |
Allegory HeroWorship | 38 |
Origin of Theism from Polytheism | 41 |
Flux and reflux of Polytheism and Theism | 46 |
Comparison of these Religions with regard to Persecution and Toleration | 48 |
With regard to courage or abasement | 51 |
With regard to reason or absurdity | 53 |
With regard to Doubt or Conviction | 55 |
Impious conceptions of the divine nature in popular religions of both kinds | 65 |
Bad influence of popular religions on morality | 70 |
General Corollary | 74 |
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Common terms and phrases
absurd adoration ages allegory ANAXAGORAS ancient appears apprehensions argument ARNOB Arrian ascribe assent barbarous BRASIDAS Christian conceived conception contradiction corruption creatures DAVID HUME deity devotion divine doctrine edition EGYPTIAN entertain facts favour frame of nature genius give gods GREEKS heathen Henry Chadwick HERODOTUS HESIOD History of Religion hopes and fears human nature Hume Hume's idea idolaters idolatry ignorant imagination impiety impious invisible power JUPITER kind mankind mind monotheism moral mythology nations Natural History nature of religion NEPTUNE never objects observe opinion origin pagan particular passions perfect perhaps philosophers PLUTARCH polytheism polytheists popular religion priests principles profane propensity questions reason regard religionists religious beliefs represented ROMAN says scarcely sceptical sects sentiment species stories sublime superstition supposed supreme deity system of theology terrors theism theology thing thought tradition truth universe unknown causes virtue votaries vulgar whence whole worship