Hume's Reflection on Religion / Edition 1

This book presents a comprehensive interpretation of Hume's 'serious r eflection' on religion from the perspective afforded by his philosophi cal project and its Enlightened ends. I relate his account of the orig in, development, and significant effects of religious beliefs to his o wn historical works, and conversely take the former as the leading thr ead into the disclosure of a Humean philosophy of history. I also crit ically analyze his views about the eminently irrational and feigned ch aracter of most religious faith and its inevitable negative effect on morality. Finally, I examine Hume's attack on the validity of the conc lusions of rational theology. Reasonable support is provided for the c laim that the belief in God, as an intelligent author of the universe, is a natural and reasonable belief. This work may interest both schol ars and general readers who are intrigued or troubled by religion and the issues 'of the utmost importance' which it raises.