Study Questions for Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, pp.28-43

1. (pp.28-29) Why does Cleanthes reject Demea’s objection? Why does he say that mystics are atheists?

2. (pp.30-32) Philo argues that one cannot establish that the universe was created in accordance with a plan in the mind of God. What is his argument?

3. (pp.32-33) What is Cleanthes’ answer?

4. (p.33) What is Philo’s response to Cleanthes?

5. (pp.34-35) Philo begins by restating one of the premises of Cleanthes' a posteriori argument: "Like effects prove like causes."  He then launches into an account of some of the recent discoveries by means of telescopes and microscopes.    Why?  In other words, what do these discoveries imply for Cleanthes' analogy between the universe and human artifacts?

6. (pp.35-41) Philo argues that if the argument from design were any good, it would establish that God is finite and imperfect, and that there are many gods, and that the gods are immortal, and they come in two sexes, and have eyes, a nose, ears, etc. Further, the universe turns out to be an animal. Why does he conclude these things?

7. (pp.41-42) Cleanthes thinks that the universe turns out to be more like a vegetable than an animal. But more important, Cleanthes thinks that on Philo’s view the universe is eternal (has always existed), and he thinks that can be shown to be false. How?