Confronting Hume: Philo vs. Argument from Design

Abstract

In Hume’s book, “Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion”, Philo attacks argument from design with all his philosophical weapons. Eventually, he accepts that his critiques are ineffective against the irregular version of the argument, but he still thinks that they beat the regular version of the argument. Yet, thinking this, he is relying on his empiricist assumptions. In this study, an attempt will be made to show that Philo’s objections are at best to a certain extent successful against antropoformism, but if his empiricist assumptions are not accepted – and if the argument considered as an argument to the best explanation – they are incapable of demolishing argument from design.