hume - of-738, książki, Philosphy
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[TABLE NOT SHOWN][TABLE NOT SHOWN]Copyright 1995, Christopher MacLachlan (cjmm@st-andrews.ac.uk). Seeend note for details on copyright and editing conventions.[1]Editor's note: "Of Superstition and Enthusiasm" appeared in 1741 inthe first volume of Hume's Essays, Moral and Political. The text filehere is based on the 1875 Green and Grose edition. Spelling andpunctuation have been modernized.---------------------------------------------------------------------Of Superstition and EnthusiasmThat the corruption of the best things produces the worst, isgrown into a maxim, and is commonly proved, among otherinstances, by the pernicious effects of superstition andenthusiasm, the corruptions of true religion.These two species of false religion, though both pernicious,are yet of a very different, and even of a contrary nature.The mind of man is subject to certain unaccountable terrorsand apprehensions, proceeding either from the unhappysituation of private or public affairs, from ill health, froma gloomy and melancholy disposition, or from the concurrenceof all these circumstances. In such a state of mind, infiniteunknown evils are dreaded from unknown agents; and where realobjects of terror are wanting, the soul, active to its ownprejudice, and fostering its predominant inclination, findsimaginary ones, to whose power and malevolence it sets nolimits. As these enemies are entirely invisible and unknown,the methods taken to appease them are equally unaccountable,and consist in ceremonies, observances, mortifications,sacrifices, presents, or in any practice, however absurd orfrivolous, which either folly or knavery recommends to a blindand terrified credulity. Weakness, fear, melancholy, togetherwith ignorance, are, therefore, the true sources ofSuperstition.But the mind of man is also subject to an unaccountableelevation and presumption, arising from prosperous success,from luxuriant health, from strong spirits, or from a bold andconfident disposition. In such a state of mind, theimagination swells with great, but confused conceptions, towhich no sublunary beauties or enjoyments can correspond.Every thing mortal and perishable vanishes as unworthy ofattention. And a full range is given to the fancy in theinvisible regions or world of spirits, where the soul is atliberty to indulge itself in every imagination, which may bestsuit its present taste and disposition. Hence arise raptures,transports, and surprising flights of fancy; and confidenceand presumption still encreasing, these raptures, beingaltogether unaccountable, and seeming quite beyond the reachof our ordinary faculties, are attributed to the immediateinspiration of that Divine Being, who is the object ofdevotion. In a little time, the inspired person comes toregard himself as a distinguished favourite of the Divinity;and when this frenzy once takes place, which is the summit ofenthusiasm, every whimsy is consecrated: Human reason, andeven morality are rejected as fallacious guides: And thefanatic madman delivers himself over, blindly, and with outreserve, to the supposed illapses of the spirit, and toinspiration from above. Hope, pride, presumption, a warmimagination, together with ignorance, are, therefore, the truesources of Enthusiasm.These two species of false religion might afford occasion tomany speculations; but I shall confine myself, at present, toa few reflections concerning their different influence ongovernment and society.My first reflection is, That superstition is favourable topriestly power, and enthusiasm not less or rather morecontrary to it, than sound reason and philosophy. Assuperstition is founded on fear, sorrow, and a depression ofspirits, it represents the man to himself in such despicablecolours, that he appears unworthy, in his own eyes, ofapproaching the divine presence, and naturally has recourse toany other person, whose sanctity of life, or, perhaps,impudence and cunning, have made him be supposed more favouredby the Divinity. To him the superstitious entrust theirdevotions: To his care they recommend their prayers,petitions, and sacrifices: And by his means, they hope torender their addresses acceptable to their incensed Deity.Hence the origin of Priests,[2] who may justly be regarded asan invention of a timorous and abject superstition, which,ever diffident of itself, dares not offer up its owndevotions, but ignorantly thinks to recommend itself to theDivinity, by the mediation of his supposed friends andservants. As superstition is a considerable ingredient inalmost all religions, even the most fanatical; there beingnothing but philosophy able entirely to conquer theseunaccountable terrors; hence it proceeds, that in almost everysect of religion there are priests to be found: But thestronger mixture there is of superstition, the higher is theauthority of the priesthood.[3]On the other hand, it may be observed, that all enthusiastshave been free from the yoke of ecclesiastics, and haveexpressed great independence in their devotion; with acontempt of forms, ceremonies, and traditions. The quakers arethe most egregious, though, at the same time, the mostinnocent enthusiasts that have yet been known; and are,perhaps, the only sect, that have never admitted priestsamongst them. The independents, of all the English sectaries,approach nearest to the quakers in fanaticism, and in theirfreedom from priestly bondage. The presbyterians follow after,at an equal distance in both particulars. In short thisobservation is founded in experience; and will also appear tobe founded in reason, if we consider, that, as enthusiasmarises from a presumptuous pride and confidence, it thinksitself sufficiently qualified to approach the Divinity,without any human mediator. Its rapturous devotions are sofervent, that it even imagines itself actually to approach himby the way of contemplation and inward converse; which makesit neglect all those outward ceremonies and observances, towhich the assistance of the priests appears so requisite inthe eyes of their superstitious votaries. The fanaticconsecrates himself, and bestows on his own person a sacredcharacter, much superior to what forms and ceremoniousinstitutions can confer on any other.My second reflection with regard to these species of falsereligion is, that religions, which partake of enthusiasm are,on their first rise, more furious and violent than those whichpartake of superstition; but in a little time become moregentle and moderate. The violence of this species of religion,when excited by novelty, and animated by opposition, appearsfrom numberless instances; of the anabaptists in Germany, thecamisars in France, the levellers and other fanatics inEngland and the covenanters in Scotland. Enthusiasm beingfounded on strong spirits, and a presumptuous boldness ofcharacter, it naturally begets the most extreme resolutions;especially after it rises to that height as to inspire thedeluded fanatic with the opinion of divine illuminations, andwith a contempt for the common rules of reason, morality, andprudence.It is thus enthusiasm produces the most cruel disorders inhuman society; but its fury is like that of thunder andtempest, which exhaust themselves in a little time, and leavethe air more calm and pure than before. When the first fire ofenthusiasm is spent, men naturally, in all fanatical sects,sink into the greatest remissness and coolness in sacredmatters; there being no body of men among them, endowed withsufficient authority, whose interest is concerned to supportthe religious spirit: No rites, no ceremonies, no holyobservances, which may enter into the common train of life,and preserve the sacred principles from oblivion.Superstition, on the contrary, steals in gradually andinsensibly; renders men tame and submissive; is acceptable tothe magistrate, and seems inoffensive to the people: Till atlast the priest, having firmly established his authority,becomes the tyrant and disturber of human society, by hisendless contentions, persecutions, and religious wars. Howsmoothly did the Romish church advance in her acquisition ofpower ? But into what dismal convulsions did she thro...
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