more from Immanuel Kant

Single Idea 6202

[catalogued under 28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 4. God Reflects Humanity]

Full Idea

One can confidently challenge all pretended natural theologians to cite one single definitive attribute of their object, of which one could not irrefutably show that, when everything anthropomorphic is removed, only the word remains.

Clarification

'Anthropomorphic' means human-like

Gist of Idea

In all naturalistic concepts of God, if you remove the human qualities there is nothing left

Source

Immanuel Kant (Critique of Practical Reason [1788], I.II.II.VI)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Practical Reason (Third edition)', ed/tr. Beck,Lewis White [Library of Liberal Arts 1993], p.145


A Reaction

This idea derives from Hume's very empiricist view of our understanding of God (Idea 2185), but Kant is (remarkably) more hostile than Hume, because he actually implies that most people's concept of God is totally vacuous.

Related Idea

Idea 2185 The idea of an infinite, intelligent, wise and good God arises from augmenting the best qualities of our own minds [Hume]