Alternatives Quote by Hugh Miller
“No true geologist holds by the development hypothesis;-it has been resigned to sciolists and smatterers;-and there is but one other alternative. They began to be, through the miracle of creation. From the evidence furnished by these rocks we are shut down either to belief in miracle, or to something else infinitely harder of reception, and as thoroughly unsupported by testimony as it is contrary to experience. Hume is at length answered by the severe truths of the stony science.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Old Red Sandstone of Scotland, Hugh Miller, 1845
Geology challenges religious belief, arguing that rock evidence forces a choice between miracles or an incomprehensible alternative, undermining simplistic scientific explanations.
In simple terms: Rocks push us to choose between miracle or a hard-to-grasp alternative.
Key Takeaway
Accept that evidence may demand profound worldview shifts.
Themes
science
faith
geology
worldview
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- religious discussion
- public lectures
Key Concepts
empiricism
metaphysics
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile scientific data with spiritual beliefs?
- What limits does empirical evidence have in answering ultimate questions?
A Different Perspective
Science may not fully resolve metaphysical questions.
![“[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative.” quote by Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/324/margaret-thatcher-463_alternatives_when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-pr_15081.jpg)
