Quotessence
Home / Books / The Natural History of Religion

The Natural History of Religion

Book by David Hume · 2 quotes · Anthropomorphism, Malice, Mankind

Filter quotes by topic

AllAnthropomorphismMaliceMankindNaturalAbandonAcceptanceAnthropocentrismArmyBest ThingsCloudsConceivingConsciousCorruptionDisorderDivinityDoeFacesFallacyGivingGood Will

The Natural History of Religion Quotes

“There is an universal tendency amongst mankind to conceive all beings like themselves, and to transfer to every object those qualities, with which they are familiarly acquainted, and of which they are intimately conscious. We find human faces in the moon, armies in the clouds; and by a natural propensity, if not corrected by experience and reflection, ascribe malice and good-will to every thing, that hurts or pleases us. Hence the frequency and beauty of the prosopopoeia in poetry, where trees, mountains and streams are personified, and the inanimate parts of nature acquire sentiment and passion. (Section 3, paragraph 2).”

MaliceFallacyPersonificationAnthropocentrismTransferenceAnthropomorphismPersonify
Book:The Natural History of Religion
Create image

“There is an universal tendency among mankind to conceive all beings like themselves, and to transfer to every object, those qualities, with which they are familiarly acquainted, and of which they are intimately conscious. We find human faces in the moon, armies in the clouds; and by a natural propensity, if not corrected by experience and reflection, ascribe malice or good-will to every thing, that hurts or pleases us.”

IfsHumansFacesNaturalHurtQualityMankindObjectsPleaseMoonReflectionConsciousUniversalArmyCloudsTendenciesProjectionGood WillMaliceTransfersPropensityHuman FacesConceivingAnthropomorphism
Book:The Natural History of Religion
Create image