A Philosophical Commentary on These Words of the Gospel, Luke 14.23

by Bayle, Pierre

• ISBN13: 9780865974951
• ISBN10: 0865974950
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-11-01
• Publisher: Liberty Fund

Summary

The popular mind often associates scepticism with irreligion, and critical distance with unbelief. In this view, reason and faith, or scientific method and religious dogma, are not only different but indeed antagonistic means of viewing the world, understanding human existence, and conducting one's life. Pierre Bayle's scepticism was of a singularly distinct sort. He argued not that religion is untrue, but that the discourses proper to theology and the discourses proper to philosophy are incapable of any meaningful exchange. Bayle sought to advance a secular morality that would be independent of both speculative theism and religious revelation. Bayle blazed a philosophical path that Denis Diderot, David Hume, and other Enlightenment thinkers would follow. The continuing significance of this work is its vigorous defence of complete religious toleration. It is in itself a primary historical source of our modern tradition of religious tolerance.

Table of Contents

Introduction	ix
A Note on the Present Translation	xxiii
Abbreviations Used in Referring to Bayle's Works	xxv
The Contents of the Whole Work	7
A Philosophical Commentary on These Words of the Gospel, Luke 14.23, ``Compel Them to Come In, That My House May Be Full''	1	(598)
Appendixes
The Language of the Translation	575	(1)
Obsolete or Unusual Words or Meanings	576	(3)
Bayle's Use of Logic	579	(3)
Religious and Philosophical Controversies	582	(14)
Faith and Heresy	583	(1)
Trinity and Incarnation	584	(1)
Grace, Original Sin, Predestination	585	(4)
The Eucharist	589	(1)
Church and State	589	(2)
The Rule of Faith	591	(2)
Reason the Fundamental Rule	593	(1)
The Bible	594	(1)
Philosophical Controversies	595	(1)
Alterations to the 1708 Translation	596	(3)
Index	599