more from David Hume

Single Idea 2229

[catalogued under 28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / e. Miracles]

Full Idea

No testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind that its falsehood would be more miraculous than the fact which it endeavours to establish.

Gist of Idea

To establish a miracle the falseness of the evidence must be a greater miracle than the claimed miraculous event

Source

David Hume (Enquiry Conc Human Understanding [1748], X.I.91)

Book Reference

Hume,David: 'Enquiries Conc. Human Understanding, Morals', ed/tr. Selby-Bigge/Nidditch [OUP 1975], p.116