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Miracles Revision

In: Philosophy and Psychology

Submitted By sniperasm1
Words 961
Pages 4
John Macquarie
Why is it that one person interprets an event as an act of God and another does not?

Hume
Created a case against miracles saying not that they do not happen, but that it would be impossible to prove them – he is an empiricist (bases knowledge on experience).
A miracle is ‘A transgression of a law of nature brought about by a particular violation of a Deity’.
Nothing that can happen in nature should be called a miracle.
Had 5 arguments against believing in miracles; one philosophical and four psychological.
Not enough evidence of miracles to outweigh our general experience. Rationality requires that belief is proportionate to evidence. ‘A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence’.
Insufficient witnesses – must be witnessed by a highly credible, good sense, well-educated person. How much education is ‘enough’?
The testimonies usually came from ignorant and barbarous nations.
People tend to exaggerate and are drawn towards the sensational and drama. The often have a desire to believe.
There are conflicting claims that cancel each other out. Hick’s response would be that all religions lead to one God though.
Hume will never be fully able to fully prove to believers that miracles do not occur, as the definition of a miracle implies divine activity and this is ultimately beyond our earthly considerations. But sceptics and believers can be said to both agree that the occurrence of miracles must be a very rare event.

Critque of Hume
Hick would say that we do not know the laws of nature, and that they appear to have been broken before. Believed that when new things are observed our understanding of the natural law should simply be widened.

C.D. Broad – Similar response to Hick. Rejects Hume’s assumption that there are known fixed laws of nature, what if the laws of nature as we know them are wrong? The laws may need to be

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