Dialogues and Natural History of Religion

In "Dialogues", three characters debate the nature of God's existence. While all three agree that a god exists, they differ sharply in opinion on God's nature or attributes and how, or if, humankind can come to knowledge of a deity. Other topics debated include the argument for 'intelligent design'--for which Hume uses a house--and whether there is more suffering or good in the world (argument from evil). In "History of Religion", Hume pioneers a naturalist account of the causes, effects, and historical development of religious belief. Hume locates the origins of religion in emotion, particularly fear and the desire to control the future. He argues that the drive to dominate or eliminate other beliefs, and to put the primitive, emotional core of religion under a veneer of theology leads to intolerance, intellectual dishonesty, and unnatural moral doctrines.