ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the details of Hume’s argument in the Natural History of Religion, alongside his account of the passions of hope and fear (given in section 1 of the Dissertation on the Passions). It charts the emergence of polytheism from principles of human psychology, and the subsequent development of monotheism, and highlights the significant philosophical and irreligious implications of Hume’s account. Hume’s argument that polytheism was the primary religion of man is defended against some recent criticisms, and his comparisons between polytheism and monotheism are examined. Finally, the question of whether Hume was an atheist or merely an agnostic is considered. It is argued that he was certainly an atheist with regard to superstition, but the question of his attitude to true religion is left unanswered.
