Seems to be a neglected thinker in these forums. Recently, I’ve been reading his paper, “On Suicide” and drawn an exemplary connotation based around the intrinsic flaws of moral thinking with regards to modes of thought and ethics around suicide. Primarily on the incantation of God, and how suicide defies the control assumed for the Almighty over all life and death, and how suicide is defiant of “God’s plan” as it were. This can be turned in its head however, to conjecture if such logic is found to be true, then to prevent another’s death by intervention is also in defiance of God, and thus must be as sinful as the act of suicide. I’d like some thoughts on this, it’s just one aspect of his argument but I feel its worthy of mention alone.
hume is hardly neglected in this forum…
some thoughts on reading the mind of god?
that depends entirely on which priest is speaking…
and sin is a particularly christian idea…
-Imp
The abbreviated Christian answer to Hume’s question is that suicide is explicitly described as sinful (though not for the reason you mention) whereas saving and protecting others from pain and suffering is explicitly described as one of those interventions about which God doesn’t mind.
Yes, one could from that principle suppose that everything, more or less, could be seen as an intervention in God’s great plan for life and death and as such is sinful. But Christianity makes it pretty explicit that this isn’t the case, so I think this is just trying to run up against problems for the sake of it.
I wouldn’t say Hume is an underrated philosopher on these boards. He gets mentioned as much as anyone except Heidegger.
Yeah I really should’ve constructed that better. But frankly It was a late night pre-bed thought and I didn’t give it the input it deserved. Sorry, I never noticed, I am new to this forum, and presumed Hume wasn’t widely focused upon.