Přirozené náboženství Josepha Priestleyho
The Natural Religion of Joseph Priestley

Summary/Abstract: Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) was a thinker who was interested in many scientific disciplines of his time. In this regard, his reflections on natural philosophy and metaphysics are particularly interesting. He held the opinion that man is entirely material and all the components that we attribute to the immaterial principle in man – the soul – are a manifestation of the material brain. Man, like all material things, must follow the laws of nature, and therefore we can explain his entire functioning on the basis of these laws – from physio-logical manifestations to his actions. This excludes, however, the possibility of free human will. Priestley was also a devout Christian throughout his life, even a minister, and tried to connect the scientific knowledge of the time with theology. In this article, we will demonstrate how he interpreted some fundamental Christian doctrines and dogmas to make them compatible with his materialism. We will look at the question that caused the greatest embarrassment in his system, namely, how to combine mechanical materialism with the possibility of eternal life and the doctrine of resurrection.

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