In Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, one of David Hume's many philosophical works, the philosopher expresses his ideas about religion and the existence of God through an argument held by three characters: Cleanthes, Demea, and Philo. Though Demea and Philo strive to prove him wrong, Cleanthes succeeds in proving his point: that only through one’s life experiences does he learn of the existence of God.
Creation by an Intelligent Being
Like William Paley, the character Cleanthes believes that just as a watch’s complexity proves that it must have been created by an intelligent being, so does the intricacy of humans show that they must have been created by a greater Being.
Learning of the Existence of God
Cleanthes then states that through experience alone does one learn the truth about the existence of God. Demea and Philo, in their arguments with Cleanthes, try not to disprove the existence of God but rather attempt to show Cleanthes that he is wrong in his argument: that only experience offers insight into the truth about God. Yet the point Cleanthes makes is a strong one, for how can anyone form beliefs without first having learned the knowledge and beliefs of others?
One learns about God, Hume proposes, the same way he learns about other aspects of life, such as why rain falls or why the moon wanes and waxes. He must be taught the truths behind these occurrences, just as he must be taught about God Himself. While trying to prove Cleanthes wrong, Philo actually makes Cleanthes’ point stronger when he states that no one, if suddenly finding himself without life experiences, could know why any phenomenon in the world is as it is. Without being taught that the Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun, how could one know why the sun appears to set each night or why the seasons change?
The Watchmaker Analogy
Only by realizing the intricate work required to create a machine as complex as a watch can one can in turn realize that he himself may be the creation of some larger Being. Without the experience of learning how a watch works, man cannot begin to form the analogy of man creating watch to God creating man. The experience of learning about the watch leads man to examine his role as something that was created by God, and thus Cleanthes’ idea that knowledge of God comes only through experience is proven true.
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