Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Title in the Series
- CHAPTER I Nature of the Argument
- CHAPTER II Argument in favour of Design from the changing of Laws in Natural Events
- CHAPTER III Argument to show that the Doctrines in the preceding Chapter do not lead to Fatalism
- CHAPTER IV On the Account of the Creation, in the First Chapter of Genesis
- CHAPTER V Further View of the same Subject
- CHAPTER VI Of the Desire of Immortality
- CHAPTER VII On Time
- CHAPTER VIII Argument from Laws intermitting—on the Nature of Miracles
- CHAPTER IX On the permanent Impression of our Words and Actions on the Globe we inhabit
- CHAPTER X On Hume's Argument against Miracles
- CHAPTER XI À priori Argument in favour of the Occurrence of Miracles
- CHAPTER XII Thoughts on the Nature of Future Punishments
- CHAPTER XIII Reflections on Free Will
- CHAPTER XIV Thoughts on the Origin of Evil
- CONCLUSION
- APPENDIX
- CORRECTIONS
CHAPTER XI - À priori Argument in favour of the Occurrence of Miracles
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Title in the Series
- CHAPTER I Nature of the Argument
- CHAPTER II Argument in favour of Design from the changing of Laws in Natural Events
- CHAPTER III Argument to show that the Doctrines in the preceding Chapter do not lead to Fatalism
- CHAPTER IV On the Account of the Creation, in the First Chapter of Genesis
- CHAPTER V Further View of the same Subject
- CHAPTER VI Of the Desire of Immortality
- CHAPTER VII On Time
- CHAPTER VIII Argument from Laws intermitting—on the Nature of Miracles
- CHAPTER IX On the permanent Impression of our Words and Actions on the Globe we inhabit
- CHAPTER X On Hume's Argument against Miracles
- CHAPTER XI À priori Argument in favour of the Occurrence of Miracles
- CHAPTER XII Thoughts on the Nature of Future Punishments
- CHAPTER XIII Reflections on Free Will
- CHAPTER XIV Thoughts on the Origin of Evil
- CONCLUSION
- APPENDIX
- CORRECTIONS
Summary
In the present chapter it is proposed to prove, that—
It is more probable that any law, at the knowledge of which we have arrived by observation, shall be subject to one of those violations which, according to Hume's definition, constitutes a miracle, than that it should not be so subjected.
To show the probability of this, we may be allowed again to revert to the Calculating Engine: and to assume that it is possible to set the machine, so that it shall calculate any algebraic law whatever: and also possible so to arrange it, that at any periods, however remote, the first law shall be interrupted for one or more times, and be superseded by any other law; after which the original law shall again be produced, and no other deviation shall ever take place.
Now, as all laws, which appear to us regular and uniform in their course, and to be subject to no exception, can be calculated by the engine: and as each of these laws may also be calculated by the same machine, subject to any assigned interruption, at distinct and definite periods; each simple law may be interrupted at any point by a portion of any one of all the other simple laws: it follows, that the class of laws subject to interruption is far more extensive than that of laws which are uninterrupted.
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- The Ninth Bridgewater Treatise , pp. 133 - 142Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009