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The Philosopher's View HUME'S ARGUMENT AGAINST MIRACLES …
The Philosopher's View
HUME'S ARGUMENT
AGAINST MIRACLES
HOW WE SHOULD
EVALUATE A TESTIMONY, p.399
ONLY GUIDE TO REASONING
= EXPERIENCE
THE MORE OFTEN STHG HAPPENED
BEFORE THE MORE LIKELY IT IS
TO HAPPEN AGAIN
BUT EXPERIENCE NOT
ALWAYS INFAILLIBLE
EXPERIENCE OF SIMILAR CAUSE / EFFECT = VARIOUS DEGREES OF CERTAINTY
SO NEED TO PROPORTION OUR
BELIEFS TO EVIDENCE
IF STHG IS NOT SURE =
ITS ONLY A PROBABILITY
INVOLVES BALANCE OF
OPPOSED EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS
BEST TYPE OF REASONING
HUMAN
TESTIMONY
BUT NOT
ALWAYS RELIABLE
SO NEED TO EVALUATE
ITS RELIABILITY
EITHER A PROOF
OR A PROBABILITY
ULTIMATE STANDARD
OF EVALUATION
CONTRARY TESTIMONY
CHARACTER / N° OF WITNESSES
MANNER TESTIMONY
IS DELIVERED
IF TESTIMONY
IS A PROOF
THEN PROOF
AGAINST PROOF
ABOUT MIRACLES
MIRACLE = VIOLATION
OF LAWS OF NATURE
OUTSIDE OF NATURE
MUST BE A UNIFORM
EXPERIENCE (PROOF) AGAINST MIRACLE,
OR ITS NOT A MIRACLE
LAWS OF NATURE =
SUPPORTED BY FIRM
AND UNALTERABLE EXPERIENCE
SO MIRACLES NEED A
PROOF AS STRONG
NEVER HAS BEEN
NOT ENOUGH
RELIABLE WITNESSES
NOT FACTS OBVIOUS PUBLICLY
HUMANS = PASSION FOR
SURPRISE AND WONDER
TEND TO BELIEVE
+SENSE OF RELIGION
= LOSS OF COMMON SENSE
AUDITORS HAVE
NOT ENOUGH JUDGEMENT
BELIEF IN MIRACLES
FOUND IN IGNORANT
N BARBAROUS NATIONS
MORE KNOWLEDGE =
NTHG MYSTERIOUS OR
SUPERNATURAL
ALL MIRACLES =
OPPOSED BY INFINITY
OF WITNESSES
AND ALL RELIGIONS
CONTRADICT E/O = SO
ANNIHILATE E/O
SO NO TESTIMONY OF MIRACLE
EVER BEEN PROBABILITY / PROOF
EVEN IF IT WAS = OPPOSED
BY PROOF LAWS OF NATURE
