In 'The Natural History of Religion,' David Hume explores the origins and development of religious beliefs across cultures. Through a blend of philosophy and empirical observation, Hume delves into the psychological and sociological factors that shape religion. His analysis raises provocative questions about the nature of faith and reason, challenging conventional views. As he uncovers the underlying motives for belief, readers are compelled to reconsider their own perspectives on spirituality. This thought-provoking work invites readers on a journey through the complexities of human belief systems.
By David Hume
Published: 2018
""The origin of religion is not in divine revelation, but in human nature, as much a part of us as our desire to laugh and love.""
In this essay, Hume offers a pioneering naturalist account of the causes, effects, and historical development of religious belief. Hume argues that a crude polytheism was the earliest religion of mankind and locates the origins of religion in emotion, particularly hope, fear, and the desire to control the future. He further argues that monotheism arises from competition between religions, as believers seek to distinguish their deities as superior to all rivals, magnifying those deities until they possess all perfections. Though an enlightened monotheism is more rationally defensible than a superstitious polytheism, in practice polytheism has many advantages. In particular, Hume argues, monotheistic religions tend to be more intolerant and hypocritical, result in greater intellectual absurdities, and foster socially undesirable "monkish virtues," such as mortification, abasement, and passive suffering.[2] Hume concludes the "Natural History" on a note of characteristic skepticism: "The whole is a riddle, an aenigma, an inexplicable mystery. Doubt, uncertainty, suspence of judgment appear the only result of our most accurate scrutiny, concerning this subject. But such is the frailty of human reason, and such the irresistible contagion of opinion, that even this deliberate doubt could scarcely be upheld; did we not enlarge our view, and opposing one species of superstition to another, set them a quarrelling; while we ourselves, during their fury and contention, happily make our escape, into the calm, though obscure, regions of philosophy."
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“"The origin of religion is not in divine revelation, but in human nature, as much a part of us as our desire to laugh and love."”
The Natural History of Religion
By David Hume
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
David Hume (1711-1776) was a prominent Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist known for his influential works in the fields of empiricism and skepticism. His notable works include 'A Treatise of Human Nature,' 'An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding,' and 'An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals.' Hume's writing style is characterized by its clarity, elegance, and a profound ability to question the assumptions of human thought and experience. He is often regarded as one of the greatest philosophers in Western philosophy and a key figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.
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