Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion Glossary

Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion Glossary

antecedent

Having occurred previously

theologian

A person who studies the practices and beliefs of an organized religion

Anthropomorphism

Giving human characteristics to non-human entities

apprehension

The recognition or realization of something

atheism

Doctrine that denies the existence of a god or supreme power

conjecture

A perceived outcome of a situation made without being aware of all the contributing facts

deduce

To arrive at a conclusion based on inference of the existing known facts

corporeal

Physically existing rather than merely being abstract

corrupted

The negative effects of being depraved or engaging in wickedness

deity

A supreme being worshipped by others as a god

dogmatism

The practice of believing something to be true despite existing evidence to the contrary

empirical

A form of understanding based on the concept that all knowledge derives from experience

faculties

Related to the power of the mind

finite

Limited in scope, time or number

impotent

Lacking the ability to act or do something

infer

To draw a reasonable conclusion of one thing based on a similarity or difference in something related

benevolent

Possessed of the characteristic to try to do good rather than evil

malevolent

The polar opposite of benevolent in that one wishes to do evil

libertine

A free thinker that many view as immoral due to their rejection of conventional ethics and laws

sagacity

Wisdom that is borne from direct experience

vulgar

Uneducated commoners

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