Al-Ghazali And Hume On Natural Causal Necessity And Miracles A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This paper argues that Al-Ghazali and Hume arrived at similar conclusion rejecting natural causality as a logical necessity; however, they provide very different premises for this conclusion. Moreover, Hume’s rejection of the natural causal necessity leads him to religious skepticism; whereas, Al-Ghazali’s rejection of natural causal necessity leads him to have a strong faith in God and Miracles. The paper discusses the problem of causation in their philosophies focusing on the issues such as: causation as habit; uniformity in the natural order; causation is a mere a sequence of observed things; whether causal relation is ontological or epistemological; issue of miracles and diverse possibilities. Furthermore, the paper also focuses on the issue of Occasionalism and free will with special reference to Al-Ghazali and Hume.

Keywords

• causation
• miracles
• natural causality
• causation as a habit
• religious skepticism
• occasionalism
• free will
• god as an agent.