The Natural History of Religion
Hume asks which passions and circumstances generate religious beliefs, then describes movements between polytheism and theism.
Understanding the text
The first of Four Dissertations distinguishes a belief’s psychological origin from its rational justification.
Key points
- 01
Fear
Uncertainty about benefits and harms encourages the search for invisible agents.
- 02
Oscillation
Religious flattery can elevate one deity before imagination reintroduces multiple intermediaries.
- 03
Toleration
Religious forms are compared through moral and political effects, using contestable historical generalizations.
How to read it
Carefully distinguish genealogy from refutation. Compare this text with the Dialogues: explaining why a belief arises does not by itself demonstrate that the belief is false.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗