Reported Miracles A Critique of Hume [Paperback]

A closely argued analysis and refutation of the widely respected arguments of Hume on miracle stories.Houston contends that reports of miracles can give support to belief in God. He does so through detailed analysis and refutation of the widely respected arguments of Hume, and widely heard arguments of modern theologians; and he explores the consequences of this refutation for science, history, and theology.Houston contends that reports of miracles can give support to belief in God. He does so through detailed analysis and refutation of the widely respected arguments of Hume, and widely heard arguments of modern theologians; and he explores the consequences of this refutation for science, history, and theology.Hume argued that no reasonable person should believe the report of miracles as exceptions to nature's usual course. Many religiously skeptical philosophers agree with him, while some theologians have offered other reasons why those who are believers in God should also refuse to accept accounts of miracles as accurate reportage. Taking the opposite stance, Houston argues that miracle stories may contribute toward the reasonableness of belief in God, and, appropriately attested, may be accepted by believers in God. To bolster his case he examines historically and intellectually significant writings about the miraculous.Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Augustine on the miraculous; 2. Aquinas on the miraculous; 3. Locke on the miraculous; 4. Hume on the miraculous; 5. Bradley and Troeltsch on the miraculous; 6. The concept of a miracle - 1; 7. The concept of a miracle - 2; 8. Hume's case - preamble to assessment; 9. Hume's case tested - 1; 10. Hume's case tested - 2; 11. Reported miracles and epistemology; 12. Reported miracles in theology; Bibliography; Index. ...will be of value to those seeking a synthesis of the intellectual history of the modern debate over miracles and to those philosophers and theologians for whom the debate is still important. The Joul´