Three Essays on Religion: Nature, The Utility of Religion, TheismIn these three essays, "Nature", "The Utility of Religion", and "Theism", published between 1850 and 1870, English social and political philosopher John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) gives his most sustained analysis of religious belief. Though not prepared to abandon the idea of an overall design in nature, Mill nonetheless argues that its violence and capriciousness militate against moral ends in nature's workings. Moreover, any designer of such a world as we experience it cannot be all powerful and all good, for nature is "too clumsily made and capriciously governed". However, since humankind, by and large, cannot, it seems, be deprived of religion, Mill espouses what he calls a "religion of humanity", whose concepts of justice, morality, and altruism are based on classical models and on the New Testament Sermon on the Mount rather than on the vindictive God of the Old Testament and the world-hating doctrines of St. Paul. |
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action admit afford agencies Al Seckel analogy animal antecedent appear argument attributes belief benevolence called causation cause character Christianity conclusion conditions independent considered contrivance coprolite course of nature creation Creator cultivated death Deism Deity direct divine doctrine effect eternal event evidence evil existence experience fact faculties favour feelings force give ground human mind human nature hypothesis idea imagination imperfect improvement inductive inference instinct John Glenn John Locke John Stuart JOHN STUART MILL justice laws of nature Letter Concerning Toleration limited mankind means ment miracle mode moral motive Natural Theology never object omnipotent order of nature origin particular perfect person pheno phenomena philosophy physical Plato possible probably produced prove purposes question reality reason religious revelation scientific sense sentiments spontaneous order sufficient supernatural supposed supposition take place tendency Theism theory things thought tion tivated truth universe virtue volition whole word Nature