The Natural History of Religion (Library of Modern Religious Thought) - Softcover

"A minor classic ... The essay has all the celebrated clarity and incisiveness of Hume, and it provides us, in a short and readable form, with the substance of the beliefs about the origins of religion which dominated the first attempts of later and more scientific writers to account for the rise and development of religion." Philosophy "A philosophical classic that caused considerable stir in its time. It is good to have a new editions of this brief work completely edited for the use of modern students." Peabody Journal of Education "Hume's view of religion was one-side and his anthropology out of date, but his blows were shrewd. In the historical development of modern theology his challenge has a point of departure; and even today, as the editor says, unless we have an answer to him our faith is unreal." The Times Literary Supplement

Hume's Natural History of Religion may, with his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion be held to mark the beginning of the Philosophy of Religion. Not so clearly a text illustrating modern technology-indeed in its own day it was regarded as skeptical and subversive-the Natural History is remarkably illustrative of the development of religious thought and is a brilliant philosophical contribution to the interpretation of religion. The editor of this reprint discusses Hume's purpose in writing the Natural History and assesses its influence at the present day.