Hume on Miracles

Bayesian Interpretation, Multiple Testimony, and the Existence of God

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8399153
AutoresRodney D Holder, Rodney Holder (0000-0001-8334-3014, autor correspondente)
Ano1998
Volume49
Fascículo1
Páginas49-65
Data de publicação1998-03-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0007-0882 • E-ISSN: 1464-3537
EditoraOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/bjps/49.1.49
OpenAlexW2039702469
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas11
Referências citadas10

Hume's argument concerning miracles is interpreted by making approximations to terms in Bayes's theorem. This formulation is then used to analyse the impact of multiple testimony. Individual testimonies which are ‘non-miraculous’ in Hume's sense can in principle be accumulated to yield a high probability both for the occurrence of a single miracle and for the occurrence of at least one of a set of miracles. Conditions are given under which testimony for miracles may provide support for the existence of God.

Argument (complex analysis) · Bayes' theorem · Bayesian probability · Epistemology · Existence of God · Interpretation (philosophy) · Linguistics · Miracle · Set (abstract data type) · Statistics · Theology · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Computer Science · Mathematics · Philosophy