Philosophy..... i need to respond...agree or disagree?? HELP?

[Oralia C]

I don not feel that Hume’s argument is “an everlasting check to all kinds of superstitious delusion.” Hume’s argument pertains to miracles. Hume did not say that miracles never occur. Hume states that it is not reasonable to believe in them. Miracles are defined as supernatural event that can not be explained by the laws of nature or science. Hume suggests that events are often considered miracles because they were considered unreasonable. It is said that often times events that are perceived as miracles are often times a product of misinformation. Lies, exaggerations, and mistakes often result in events being taken as miraculous, when in fact they are ordinary events that due to human error become considered extraordinary.

[Epiphany]

Sounds to me like what you need to do is a bit more research into Hume and what he was toutin'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hume

You can read this (kinda like cliff notes) and decide what you think for yourself, as this is probably YOUR homework (ahem).

However, me personally? I would ask them to cite where they derived that information and then present them with some alternative.

Good luck!

[Jay Tsu]

There's a lot of truth in what Hume said. Miracles don't necessarily have to have all those holy effects like glowing lights and angels singing. It also depends on how we classify "miracles". Everyone's perspective is different.

Like Protagoras once said, "Man is the measure of all things".

Just look at the word "luck". I mean what kind of genius invented that word. Some of us use that word way to often to even realize what we mean when we use that word.

My definition of luck:

Luck is the word used to criticize another or oneself due to his or her own drawbacks and failures.

Now just think about miracles and how it kind of connects.

I'm just giving my thoughts and there is no right or wrong answer because Philosophy just doesn't work like that. That's why we challenge other's thoughts and others challenge those thoughts and it goes on and on.

Edit:
I'll take your word that Hume did have those thoughts. I don't remember my Philosophy teacher touching on that even though he did go over Hume.

[powxmansal]

The way I understand Hume's argument is that miracles are considered to be such only if there is not a sufficient scientific theory to explain their place.

If science is an evolutionary process that would inevitably explain all phenomena to a satisfactory extent, than miracles are merely a placeholder for what science lacks at this time.

[Phoenix Quill]

The nature of intelligence is to recognize patterns, to discern the logic of how things work. If we understand the logic of cause & effect, we can effectively act to enhance our survival/success.

A miracle is simply something that we interpret as being outside our current understanding of natural law or logic.

If we apply Ockham to perception & logic we get Hume. If you think an event falls out side man's current understanding of nature, the simplest explanation is you made a mistake.

But Ockham never said the simplest explanation IS true, just as Hume never said there are NO miracles.

We progress by discovering what we didn't know.

Miracles lead the way.

[Raikiri cosplay]

Hume I believe also said that you can't link cause and effect empirically.
That might be handy.
Eg. Jesus turned water into wine. It may have been going to change into wine all by it's lonesome if Jesus had left it alone.

No offence intended and I'm sorry if anyone takes any.

[Phoenix Quill]

The nature of intelligence is to recognize patterns, to discern the logic of how things work. If we understand the logic of cause & effect, we can effectively act to enhance our survival/success.

A miracle is simply something that we interpret as being outside our current understanding of natural law or logic.

If we apply Ockham to perception & logic we get Hume. If you think an event falls out side man's current understanding of nature, the simplest explanation is you made a mistake.

But Ockham never said the simplest explanation IS true, just as Hume never said there are NO miracles.

We progress by discovering what we didn't know.

Miracles lead the way.