Mircles Defintions Flashcards
Thomas Aquinas’ definition
‘That which has a Devine cause, not that whose cause a human person fails to understand’
A miracle is an event beyond the natural power of any created being
Example of a miracle according to Aquinas?
God does something nature could never do ie the sun rising in the west
What is David Humes definition of a miracle?
‘A transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent’
A miracle needs to express a divine cause
What’s an example for David Humes definition of a miracle?
Raising a person from the dead as this breaks our regular experience of the law of nature and demands an intervention by God
What is R. F. Hollands definition of a miracle?
‘A remarkable and beneficial coincidence that is interpreted in a religious way’
A contingency miracle which doesn’t need to involve the breaking of laws or an intervention by God
What is an example of R. F. Hollands definition of a miracle?
A child caught on the train tracks who’s rescued just before the train would hit and kill him as the train slowed down and stopped, the mother believes it to be a miracle when in reality the driver passed out due to a heart condition and the trains automatic breaking system came into play
What is Richard Swinburne definition of a miracle?
‘A violation of a law of nature by a God, that is, a very powerful rational being who is not a material object’
A violation of a law of nature but this law cannot be accountable for the event
What did David Hume believe about miracles?
That they were unreasonable to believe in as they lacked substantial evidence. Hume was a huge supporter of needing empirical evidence.
What is Humes first challenges to miracles?
Any event can be explained by the laws of nature which contradicts his first argument.
