The impact of the Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711-76) is an example. Hume questioned the argument from design which was such an important element in natural theology. His sceptical empiricism in fact called into question not only talk about God, but also the regularities on which science depends. But because science was on the ascendant, the way Hume’s writing tended to be received was as an attack on miracle, and hence a reinforcement of views which stressed the adequacy of scientific accounts of phenomena.)