Miracles In An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding By David Hume

In An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume, the idea of miracles is introduced. Hume’s argument is that there is no rational reason for human beings to believe in miracles, and that it is wrong to have miracles as the building blocks for religion. It is because the general notion of miracles come from the statement of others who claim to have seen them, Hume believes that there is no way to prove that those accounts are accurate, because they were not experienced first-hand. In order to believe a miracle, the evidence should be concrete, and something irrefutable. When there is any sort of doubt to a miracle, Hume says that any evidence that can be contrary to the proof of a miracle is merely evidence that the miracle did not happen, and it should be disproved. The only way a miracle can be proven is from the testimony of the person who had witnessed it, while any evidence against the miracle is something that defies the laws of nature. It falls upon the reputation of the witness to prove whether or not he or she actually observed a miracle, because a miracle can only be plausible when it is more likely than the opposing laws of nature. Hume’s reasoning in favour of miracles being insufficient events are also explanations as to why he believes miracles are not probable. First is the idea that human beings are not honest enough to be able to have possibly witnessed a miracle. Next is that human beings want to believe in the supernatural, and that desire allows us to believe in things that could never happen, simply because it would be wonderful and fantastical if that miracle actually did occur. Thirdly, the people who usually report sightings of a miracle are those who are uncivilized, or unsophisticated, so they ...

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...e contradicts himself when it comes to his explanations against the rationalisation of miracles. He insists that miracles do not actually happen, because they go against the laws of nature. But also, there is no probability of them actually occurring and that we, as human beings, put too much faith in miracles, which is wrong. These points in themselves are confusing and cumbersome. If miracles were actually against the laws of nature, then Hume’s definition of those laws of nature should be redefined, or his acceptance of miracles should be re-evaluated. If miracles are possible, then any sort of concrete evidence to support that miracle should be enough to prove its existence. There is no need to go through a list of criteria that contradicts itself.

Word Count: 1548

Works Cited

Hume, David An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Eric Steinberg ed.,

(Hackett)