David Hume

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David Hume (1711–1776) was a noted historian and essayist, but is best known as one of the most important philosophers ever to write in English. The last of the great triumvirate of "British empiricists", he is widely regarded by fans and critics alike as an influential skeptic and atheist.

It is difficult to determine Hume's personal religious views and this ambiguity enabled him to write with more freedom.

"If we ask whether Hume believed in God, the answer is 'no, but'. He did not believe in the God of standard theism, or in any variation thereon in limited theism, but he did not rule out all concepts of deity, and neither was he non-committal on the subject."

— David O'Connor, Hume on Religion

One of his influential ethical concepts is the Is–ought problem: morally prescriptive conclusions cannot be derived from any number of purely descriptive premises.

Counter-Apologist Works

Of Miracles examines what testimony would be necessary to establish the occurrence of a miracle.

Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion examines some of the common apologist and counter apologist arguments, particularly the Design Argument and the Problem of evil. The book argues for a skeptical approach to theology and against the validity of evidence based religion. The book was published after Hume's death because he was "desirous to live quietly, and keep remote from all Clamour".

External links