Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion Characters

Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion Character List

Pamphilus

Pamphilus is the narrator. He describes the debate between his master, Cleanthes, and two of his colleagues, relating the discussion to his friend, Hermippus. Pamphilus expresses his own opinions about the philosophers' arguments, in the end seeming to prefer the arguments of his master over the others. He plays the same role as Plato, relating his master Socrates' musings.

Cleanthes

Cleanthes is one of the three philosophers and Pamphilus' master. Like the others, he does believe in God. He arrives at this conclusion following a teleological line of reasoning, involving explorations of the natural universe in order to draw conclusions about God's nature by the order of the universe.

Philo

Philo presents arguments most similar to Hume's own perspective, as evidence by some of his other theological texts. Philo believes in God, but he rests in doubt. He believes that the nature of God cannot be understand by the mind of man because his perspective will always have bias. Unless man can free himself of implicit bias in order to determine absolute truth, he cannot begin to understand a being responsible for the universe.

Demea

Demea chastises both of his debate partners for their lack of faith. To him the question of God's nature is one of faith in opposition to reason. He recognizes the necessity of both, but he believes they are paradoxically opposed to one another. He prefers faith. Demea argues that all theological discussions must be led by implicit faith and loyalty to God, subjecting all arguments of reason to these premises.

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