Abstract

AS HUME SAW, THE EXTREME ABNORMALITY OF AN EVENT, E, CAN NEVER BY ITSELF JUSTIFY THE BELIEF THAT E HAS NO NATURAL EXPLANATION. HUME’S NEGATIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF SUPERNATURAL POWER, HOWEVER, OBSCURES THE WAY ABNORMALITY MAY COMBINE WITH APPARENT PURPOSEFULNESS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE BELIEF THAT E IS A MIRACLE. THE PERSUASIVENESS OF THIS SUPPORT WILL DEPEND NOT ONLY ON THE NATURE OF E BUT, ALSO, THE REASONABLENESS OF BELIEF IN A MIRACLE-WORKING DEITY