Hume and Kierkegaard and their Perspective of Natural Religion

Excerpts from the Paper

Muhamed Kothawala
Professor Kindalee DeLong
GSRE 199
November 8th 2010
Hume and Kierkegaard and their Perspective of Natural Religion
Belief in a religion engages the believer through a connection to what appears to be inexplicable. Whether it is through blind faith, or guided knowledge of religious text, the central element of belief in a deity requires the individual to move beyond intellect, and transcend conventional confines of the mortal realm to obtain a greater understanding of the eternal. Two writers who span philosophy and religion, Soren Kierkegaard and David Hume strive to demonstrate the delicate balance of human understanding of the nature of God and the nature of faith. Kierkegaard demonstrates his understanding by...

.....asonable that offers the human the ability for transcendence: “ it is precisely the absurd that as the single individual he is higher than the universal. This paradox cannot be mediated" (Kierkegaard65). This invites man to question his belief, and finally understand it better even though answers may not come. Finally, for both authors it is the struggle to understand faith that truly liberates the spiritual essence of man.
Works Cited
Hume, David. Dialogues concerning natural religion, the posthumous essays, Of the immortality of the soul, and Of suicide, from An enquiry concerning human understanding of miracles. 2nd ed. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub., 1998. Print.
Kierkegaard, Soren. Fear and trembling . New York: Penguin Books, 2006. Print.