The analogy of religion, natural and revealed, to the constitution and course of nature / Joseph Butler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Butler, Joseph, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Apologetics--History--19th century.

Apologetics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (vi, 546 pages)

Place of Publication:

London : George Bell and Sons, 1878.

Summary:

"The object of the "Analogy" is not to prove the truth of Revealed Religion, but confirm it, by showing that there is no greater difficulty in the way of believing the Religion of Revelation, than in believing the Religion of Nature; and, consequently, that no one who does not reject Natural Religion can consistently reject Revelation on the score of insufficient proof. Its argument is, "If, in spite of all difficulties, you believe the one, you must, in common fairness, and to be consistent, believe the other. If they come from the same God, there is an à priori probability that they will each have the same or similar difficulties; and if, in spite of all its acknowledged difficulties, you are firmly persuaded of the truth of Natural Religion, you are bound to accept Revealed Religion, in spite of an equal amount of possible or actual objections that may be summoned up against it." As the religious system of Bishop Butler is to he gathered from his "Analogy of Natural and Revealed Religion," so his moral system is to be found in his "Fifteen Sermons upon Human Nature, or Man considered as a Moral Agent." There are two ways of treating the subject of morals. The one starts with an inquiry into the abstract relations of things; the other from a matter of fact, such as what is the particular nature of man, and what its several parts, etc., and then from these facts goes on to determine what course of life it is which corresponds to his whole nature. The former is the best formal proof; the latter is more readily understood by most men, and peculiarly suited to satisfy a fair mind. Butler adopts, chiefly, this latter course. To the "Analogy" are subjoined two Dissertations, both originally inserted in the body of the work--one on personal identity and one on the nature of virtue." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Includes bibliographical references.