Hume’s Position and Influence on Phillips’ Philosophical System

Document Type : Original Research

Author
Shahab Shahidi
PhD graduate in Philosophy of Religion, University of Tehran, college of Farabi, Qom, Iran.
10.30497/prr.2018.2116
Abstract
D. Z. Phillips is one of the most important philosophers who believe in non-realism about religious language. He was highly influenced by Hume and believed Hume has criticized the arguments for the existence of God in three levels. Although he considers these criticisms as successful ones, by appealing to the hermeneutics of contemplation, he maintains that we should go beyond Hume and contemplate religious concepts. He separates his way from the proponents of hermeneutics of recollection and suspicion. According to him, we should understand religion through contemplating religious concepts and taking heed of the life of believers. In contrast to his claims, his interpretations about religious propositions such as the existence of God, prayer and immortality are not consistent with the believers’ ideas. Furthermore, he has neglected different versions of design argument. That’s why his investigations are incomplete. It can also be said that even though he attempted to go beyond the criteria of logical positivism, he could not do it.
Keywords
: D. Z. Phillips
David Hume
Hermeneutics of Recollection
Hermeneutics of Suspicion
Hermeneutics of Contemplation
تالیافرو، چارلز. 1382. فلسفه دین در قرن بیستم. ترجمه انشاءالله رحمتی. تهران: دفتر پژوهش و نشر سهروردی.
وین‌رایت، ویلیام. 1390. فلسفه دین. ترجمه علیرضا کرمانی. قم: مؤسسه آموزشی و پژوهشی امام خمینی.
Davies, Brian. 2007. “D. Z. Phillips on Belief in God.” Philosophical Investigation 30.
Henderson, E. 1979. “Reductionism and Practice of Worship.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Vol. 10, No. 1.
Hume, David. 1953. Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. New York: Hafner Publishing Company.
Mackie, J. L. 1982. The Miracle of Theism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Phillips, D. Z. 1981. The Concept of Prayer. New York: The Seabury Press.
Phillips, D. Z. 1988. Faith after Foundationalism. London & New York: Routledge.
Phillips, D. Z. 1970. Faith and Philosophical Enquiry. London: Routledge &Kegan.
Phillips, D. Z. 1999. “Is Hume’s True Religion a Religious Belief.” In T. Timothy, & D. Z. Phillips (Eds.), Religion and Hume’s Legacy. London: St Martin’s Press.
Phillips, D. Z. 2004. Religion and Hermeneutics of Contemplation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Phillips, D. Z. 1976. Religion without Explanation. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Phillips, D. Z. 1993. Wittgenstein and Religion. London: St. Martin’s Press.
Philosophy of Religion Research
Volume 15, Issue 2 - Serial Number 30
November 2018
Pages 93-107