Philo’s Views on Religion

Philo's View on Religion

In part X, of Hume's book Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Demea and Philo converse over the point of religion. Demea, a dogmatist, states that human beings are such wretched creatures. Philo, being a skeptic, can always agree; he claims that the best and indeed the only method of bringing everyone to a due sense of religion is by just representations of the misery and wickedness of men. I can, myself, always agree with Philo; as Philo is as liberal as he is I think he makes a very logical point of a method, concerning religion.

According to Philo's statement of the best method by representation, I think Hume means that the only way to make everyone realize and understand religion on the same level is by showing them. He says that you must show them by representations of the misery and wickedness that comes with human existence. I think Hume is saying that, according to Demea, by showing people their awful retched ways, the unhappiness of man, the general corruptions of nature, and the unsatisfactory enjoyment of pleasures you might be able to not only show them but make them feel it, more intimately and sensibly. If by that way you can do so then they will have a better sense and feeling of how this human experience really is. Demea then replies, "and who can doubt of what all men declare from their own immediate feelings and experience?'.

I do believe that Philo's proclamation of using just representations to bring everyone to an equivalent sense of religion is accurate. In the very beginning of part X Demea states that every man shall know within himself some form of religion. I believe his statement that every man knows from his consciousness of his misery instead of reason it is very true. Therefore it leads him to find protection from the only being which is greater then him, his creator; but he says that we continuously look for protection from other forms that prolong our fears. Demea goes on to eventually asked Philo, "if religion did not suggest some methods of atonement, and appease those terrors with which we are incessantly troubled and tormented?" Philo answers that he is totally convinced that the only way to make every man believe, on the same level, a form of religion is by showing them or making them judiciously realize it. I do believe to accomplish the feat of showing every man, that there is no other way then by representations. People are convinced of this certainty; they do realize and understand the miseries and wretchedness of life.

Philo states that it is not necessary to prove what everyone feels within himself but to make him feel it more by realization.

As for there being rational basis for religion, personally I wouldn't