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Single Idea 21283

[from 'Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion' by David Hume, in 28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / c. Teleological Proof critique ]

Full Idea

Men are mortal and renew their species by generation. Why must this circumstance, so universal, so essential, be excluded from those numerous and limited deities?

Gist of Idea

Humans renew their species sexually. If there are many gods, would they not do the same?

Source

David Hume (Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion [1751], Part 5)

Book Reference

'The Existence of God', ed/tr. Hick,John [Macmillan 1964], p.107


A Reaction

Hume observes that this would be like the Greek gods. Hume makes mincemeat of attempts to prove the existence of God merely by analogy with human affairs.

Related Idea

Idea 21282 Design cannot prove a unified Deity. Many men make a city, so why not many gods for a world? [Hume]