Abstract
Hume has rejected natural theology and does not think that there is any good evidence to suggest that God has revealed himself through miraculous occurrences. Further, in the absence of any good reasons for belief in the existence of God, Hume provides a natural history that explains the prevalence of religious belief amongst human societies. It is important to note, though, that Hume’s attitude to religion is not that of a dispassionate philosopher who has uncovered a paucity of argument in support of certain commitments. Hume is hostile towards religion and this hostility is grounded, to a great extent, in what he sees as the moral failings of religion. This chapter will spell out these failings and discuss Hume’s alternative secular moral theory.
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Notes
- 1.
Herdt (1997, 91–3) notes Hume’s championing of John Home’s play, Douglas; Hume dedicated The Four Dissertations to Home. The final suicide of one of the characters, Lady Randolph, is portrayed as a noble death. The play caused much controversy at the time.
- 2.
See also Hume 1778, xvii: ‘That delicious country, where the Roman pontiff resides, was the source of all modern art and refinement, and diffused on its superstition an air of politeness, which distinguishes it from the gross rusticity of other sects’. Such pomp, splendour and refinement were seen, by Hume, not as a reflection of the glory of God and thus as an aid to prayer and worship, but rather as a diversion from enthusiasm; instead of intense personal communion with God, one can simply ‘relax … in the contemplation of pictures, postures, vestments, buildings, and all the fine arts, which minister to religion’ (ibid., 5.460).
- 3.
We will not focus here on whether Hume’s naturalistic approach can adequately account for the justification of moral judgements. This is controversial. We will also say little concerning the debate over the subjectivist nature of Hume’s account, as opposed to the objective morality of religion.
- 4.
All except Christ, that is; his birth avoids connection to this ‘depraved origin’ (St. Augustine 413 ce, 251) through Mary’s Immaculate Conception.
- 5.
‘’Tis a general remark, that those we call good women’s men, who have either signaliz’d themselves by their amorous exploits, or whose make of body promises an extraordinary vigour of that kind, are well receiv’d by the fair sex, and naturally engage the affections even of those, whose virtue prevents any design of ever giving employment to those talents. Here’tis evident, that the ability of such a person to give enjoyment, is the real source of that love and esteem he meets with among the females’ (1739, 3.3.5.2/614–5)—a rather racy suggestion by Le Bon David!
- 6.
Projection plays an important role elsewhere for Hume: we project necessary connections onto the world (1772a, 7/60–79), and belief in God is a projection of our fears (see Sect. 10.2).
- 7.
This theme is also ‘Old’ in that it is contrasted with the ‘New’ interpretation of Hume, according to which he believes in necessary connexions. See The New Hume Debate, eds. R. Read and K. Richmond.
- 8.
Note that Hume’s target is only indiscriminate lust and not lust within marriage, that which is also targeted by religion.
- 9.
Female chastity is thus an artificial virtue, one that depends on social conventions. For the distinction between natural and artificial virtues see O’Brien 2012, 294–6.
- 10.
See Mackie 1980.
- 11.
See also: ‘Some ornaments, which the ladies at that time wore upon their petticoats, excited mightily the indignation of the preachers; and they affirmed, that such vanity would provoke God’s vengeance, not only against these foolish women, but against the whole realm’ (Hume 1778, 4.41–2); ‘They confined their avowed objections to the surplice, the confirmation of children, the sign of the cross in baptism, the ring in marriage, kneeling at the sacrament, and bowing at the name of Jesus. So fruitless is it for sovereigns to watch with a rigid care over orthodoxy, and to employ the sword in religious controversy, that the work, perpetually renewed, is perpetually to begin; and a garb, a gesture, nay, a metaphysical or grammatical distinction, when rendered important by the disputes of theologians and the zeal of the magistrate, is sufficient to destroy the unity of the church, and even the peace of society.’ (ibid., 4.123) See also 1772b, 3.36/198 for Hume’s ridiculing of religious dietary rituals and prohibitions.
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Bailey, A., O’Brien, D. (2014). Morality. In: Hume's Critique of Religion: 'Sick Men's Dreams'. The New Synthese Historical Library, vol 72. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6615-0_11
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