Hume’s “Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion” is written in a dialogue format, with one listener and three speakers. The purpose of using this format is to discuss the topic of natural religion.
The main characters in the dialogue are philosophers named Cleanthes, Demea, and Philo. Cleanthes believes that we can learn about God’s character by studying nature and moral order. He argues against the beliefs of Demea and Philo, who both believe that understanding God is beyond human comprehension. Demea thinks that rational thought alone cannot bring us closer to understanding God, while Philo shares the same fear that God is beyond our understanding.