In his famous argument against miracles, David Hume gets to the heart
of the modern problem of supernatural belief. 'We are apt', says Hume,
'to imagine ourselves transported into some new world; where the whole
form of nature is disjointed, and every element performs its operation
in a different manner, from what it does at present.' This
encapsulates, observes Peter Harrison, the disjuncture between
contemporary Western culture and medieval societies. In the Middle
Ages, people saw the hand of God at work everywhere. Indeed, many
suppose that 'belief in the supernatural' is likewise fundamental
nowadays to religious commitment. But dichotomising between
'naturalism' and 'supernaturalism' is actually a relatively recent
phenomenon, just as the notion of 'belief' emerged historically late.
In this masterful contribution to intellectual history, the author
overturns crucial misconceptions – 'myths' – about secular
modernity, challenging common misunderstandings of the past even as he
reinvigorates religious thinking in the present.
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Myths of Supernatural Belief in a Secular Age
Product details
ISBN
9781009477260
Published
2024
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Language
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Author