Miracles

A miracle is an event which happens against regular experience 

subjective to different people

not a priori necessary 

can have religious significance 

(his essay of miracles, 1975) 

'a transgression of a law of nature by a particular of the deity' 

violates the laws of nature 

NOT reasonable to believe in existence of miracles because evidence is unreliable 

witnesses testimonies cannot be trusted so we should try and find out what the natural cause of the event is 

(Miracles, 1989)

the laws of nature are reasonably predictable and so if an 'impossible' event occurs, then it is fair to call it a miracle 

'If God has reason to interact with us he has very occasionally to intervene and suspend those natural laws by which our life is controlled' 

proposed 3 categories of miracles 

1. events done by God that nature couldnt do 

2. events done by God that nature could do but not in that order

3. events done by God that nature can do but God does without the use of natural laws (e.g. healing by forgiving sins)-Mark 2:5