--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The late Mr. David Hume , in his…" description: "\"“The late Mr. David Hume , in his posthumous works, places the powers of generation much above those of our boasted reason; and adds, that reason can o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/erasmus-darwin-17186_atheism_the-late-mr-david-hume-in-his-posthumous_3231539.jpg" --- # The late Mr. David Hume , in his posthumous works, places… ![“The late Mr. David Hume , in his posthumous works, places the powers of generation much above those of our boasted reason; and adds, that reason can only make a machine, as a clock or a ship, but the power of generation makes the maker of the machine; ... he concludes, that the world itself might…” quote by Erasmus Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/erasmus-darwin-17186_atheism_the-late-mr-david-hume-in-his-posthumous_3231539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/erasmus-darwin-17186_atheism_the-late-mr-david-hume-in-his-posthumous_3231539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/erasmus-darwin-17186_atheism_the-late-mr-david-hume-in-his-posthumous_3231539.jpg) > ““The late Mr. David Hume , in his posthumous works, places the powers of generation much above those of our boasted reason; and adds, that reason can only make a machine, as a clock or a ship, but the power of generation makes the maker of the machine; ... he concludes, that the world itself might have been generated, rather than created ; that is, it might have been gradually produced from very small beginnings, increasing by the activity of its inherent principles, rather than by a sudden evolution of the whole by the Almighty fiat.”” [Erasmus Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erasmus-darwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The world may have formed gradually from tiny origins, driven by inherent principles, rather than being created instantaneously by a divine act. **In simple terms:** The universe could have arisen slowly from small parts, not by a sudden divine command. Key Takeaway Consider gradual, natural processes in explanations. Themes cosmology philosophy science Mood thoughtful analytical Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - scientific inquiry - education - public discourse Key Concepts Gradualism emergence Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports gradual formation? - How does this perspective affect your worldview? A Different Perspective This view challenges traditional religious creation narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [David-hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david-hume/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation/) [Naturalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naturalism/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Small beginnings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-beginnings/) ## Related quotes > [“We hold these truths to be self-evident. { Franklin's edit to the assertion in Thomas Jefferson 's original wording, 'We hold these truths to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/we-hold-these-truths-to-be-self-evident-franklin-s-edit-to-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“David Hume, the great­est skep­tic of them all, once remarked that after a gath­er­ing of skep­tics met to pro­claim the verac­i­ty of skep­ti­cism as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/david-hume-the-great-est-skep-tic-of-them-all-once-remarked-that/) [Philip K. 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Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? 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