Book dossier

Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion

by David Hume

Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion is a philosophical work by the Scottish philosopher David Hume. Through dialogue, three fictional characters named Demea, Philo, and Cleanthes debate the nature of God's existence. While all three agree that a god exists, they differ sharply in opinion on God's nature or attributes and how, or if, humankind can come to knowledge of a deity. In the Dialogues, Hume's characters debate a number of arguments for the existence of God, and arguments through which we may come to know the nature of God. Such topics debated include the argument from design -- for which Hume uses the example of a house -- and whether there is more suffering or good in the world.