David Hume Quotes - Page 13

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Between married persons, the cement of friendship is by the laws supposed so strong as to abolish all division of possessions: andhas often, in reality, the force ascribed to it.

David Hume

Friendship, Marriage, Strong

David Hume (1793). “Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects”, p.246

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It is not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger. It is not contrary to reason for me to choose my total ruin, to prevent the least uneasiness of an Indian, or person wholly unknown to me. It is as little contrary to reason to prefer even my own acknowledged lesser good to my greater, and have a more ardent affection for the former than the latter.

David Hume

World, Littles, Ruins

A Treatise upon Human Nature bk. 2 (1739)

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What would become of history, had we not a dependence on the veracity of the historian, according to the experience, what we have had of mankind?

David Hume

Mankind, Historian, Veracity

David Hume (2013). “Essays and Treatises on Philosophical Subjects”, p.146, Broadview Press

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All that belongs to human understanding, in this deep ignorance and obscurity, is to be sceptical, or at least cautious, and not to admit of any hypothesis whatever, much less of any which is supported by no appearance of probability.

David Hume

Ignorance, Understanding, Obscurity

David Hume (1826). “The Philosophical Works: Including All the Essays, and Exhibiting the More Important Alterations and Corrections in the Successive Ed. Publ. by the Author”, p.518

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An infinite number of real parts of time, passing in succession, and exhausted one after another, appears so evident a contradiction, that no man, one should think, whose judgement is not corrupted, instead of being improved, by the sciences, would ever be able to admit of it.

David Hume

Real, Men, Thinking

David Hume (2016). “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding: Revision of Great Book”, p.123, VM eBooks

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We need only reflect on what has been prov'd at large, that we are never sensible of any connexion betwixt causes and effects, and that 'tis only by our experience of their constant conjunction, we can arrive at any knowledge of this relation.

David Hume

Knowledge, Science, Needs

David Hume (2003). “A Treatise of Human Nature”, p.176, Courier Corporation

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Art may make a suite of clothes, but nature must produce a man.

David Hume

Art, Nature, Men

1741-2 Essays Moral, Political and Literary,'The Epicurean'.

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Interest is the barometer of the state.

David Hume

States, Barometer, Interest

David Hume (1870). “Essays, Literary, Moral, and Political”, p.181

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The more instances we examine, and the more care we employ, the more assurance shall we acquire, that the enumeration, which we form from the whole, is complete and entire.

David Hume

Care, Form, Assurance

David Hume (2012). “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding”, p.28, tredition

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The slaving Poor are incapable of any Principles: Gentlemen may be converted to true Principles, by Time and Experience. The middling Rank of Men have Curiosity and Knowledge enough to form Principles, but not enough to form true ones, or correct any Prejudices that they may have imbib'd: And 'tis among the middling Rank, that Tory Principles do at present prevail most in England.

David Hume

Men, Gentleman, Curiosity

David Hume (1826). “The philosophical works of David Hume”, p.80

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He sees such a desperate rapaciousness prevail; such a disregard to equity, such contempt of order, such stupid blindness to future consequences, as must immediately have the most tragical conclusion, and most terminate in destruction to the greater number, and in a total dissolution of society to the rest.

David Hume

Stupid, Order, Numbers

David Hume (2013). “An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals”, p.16, Simon and Schuster

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[A persons] utmost art and industry can never equal the meanest of nature's productions, either for beauty or value.

David Hume

Art, Nature, Mortification

David Hume (1875). “Essays Moral, Political, and Literary”, p.197

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We make allowance for a certain degree of selfishness in men; because we know it to be inseparable from human nature, and inherent in our frame and constitution. By this reflexion we correct those sentiments of blame, which so naturally arise upon any opposition.

David Hume

Men, Selfishness, Degrees

David Hume (2003). “A Treatise of Human Nature”, p.415, Courier Corporation

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There is a very remarkable inclination in human nature to bestow on external objects the same emotions which it observes in itself, and to find every where those ideas which are most present to it.

David Hume

Ideas, Emotion, Human Nature

David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.175, 谷月社

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The conduct of a man, who studies philosophy in this careless manner, is more truly sceptical than that of any one, who feeling inhimself an inclination to it, is yet so over-whelm'd with doubts and scruples, as totally to reject it. A true sceptic will be diffident of his philosophical doubts, as well as of his philosophical conviction; and will never refuse any innocent satisfaction, which offers itself, upon account of either of them.

David Hume

Philosophy, Philosophical, Men

David Hume (2012). “A Treatise of Human Nature”, p.221, Courier Corporation

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of the world and drudgery of business , seeks a pretense of reason to give itself a full and uncontrolled indulgence.

David Hume

Giving, World, Reason

John Locke, George Berkeley, David Hume (2013). “The Empiricists: Locke: Concerning Human Understanding; Berkeley: Principles of Human Knowledge & 3 Dialogues; Hume: Concerning Human Understanding & Concerning Natural Religio”, p.334, Anchor

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Do you come to a philosopher as to a cunning man, to learn something by magic or witchcraft, beyond what can be known by common prudence and discretion?

David Hume

Philosophical, Men, Magic

David Hume (1817). “Philosophical Essays: On Morals, Literature, and Politics”, p.181

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[The sceptic] must acknowledge, if he will acknowledge any thing, that all human life must perish, were his principles to prevail.All discourse, all action would immediately cease, and men remain in a total lethargy, till the necessities of nature, unsatisfied, put an end to their miserable existence.

David Hume

Men, Principles, Action

David Hume (1788). “An inquiry concerning human understanding. A dissertation on the passions. An inquiry concerning the principles of morals. The natural history of religion”, p.162

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A CAUSE is an object precedent and contiguous to another, and so united with it that the idea of the one determines the mind to form the idea of the other, and the impression of the one to form a more lively idea of the other.

David Hume

Ideas, Mind, Causes

David Hume (2017). “A Treatise of Human Nature”, p.238, BookRix

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There surely is a being who presides over the universe; and who, with infinite wisdom and power, has reduced the jarring elementsinto just order and proportion. Let speculative reasoners dispute, how far this beneficent being extends his care, and whether he prolongs our existence beyond the grave, in order to bestow on virtue its just reward, and render it fully triumphant.

David Hume

God, Order, Rewards

David Hume, Stephen Copley, Andrew Edgar (2008). “Selected Essays”, p.91, Oxford University Press

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In all determinations of morality, this circumstance of public utility is ever principally in view; and wherever disputes arise, either in philosophy or common life, concerning the bounds of duty, the questions cannot, by any means, be decided with greater certainty, than by ascertaining, on any side, the true interests of mankind. If any false opinion, embraced from appearances, has been found to prevail; as soon as farther experience and sounder reasoning have given us juster notions of human affairs, we retract our first sentiment, and adjust anew the boundaries of moral good and evil.

David Hume

Determination, Philosophy, Mean

David Hume (2010). “Moral and Political Philosophy”, p.221, Simon and Schuster

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When I am convinced of any principle, it is only an idea which strikes more strongly upon me. When I give the preference to one set of arguments above another, I do nothing but decide from my feeling concerning the superiority of their influence.

David Hume

Ideas, Giving, Feelings

David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.87, 谷月社

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Let us consider what we call vicious luxury. No gratification, however sensual, can of itself be esteemed vicious. A gratification is only vicious when it engrosses all a man's expense, and leaves no ability for such acts of duty and generosity as are required by his situation and fortune. The same care and toil that raise a dish of peas at Christmas would give bread to a whole family during six months.

David Hume

Men, Luxury, Generosity

David Hume, Stephen Copley, Andrew Edgar (2008). “Selected Essays”, p.176, Oxford University Press

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The stability of modern governments above the ancient, and the accuracy of modern philosophy, have improved, and probably will still improve, by similar gradations.

David Hume

Philosophy, Government, Ancient

David Hume (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of David Hume (Illustrated)”, p.963, Delphi Classics

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Where ambition can cover its enterprises, even to the person himself, under the appearance of principle, it is the most incurable and inflexible of passions

David Hume

Passion, Ambition, Principles

David Hume (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of David Hume (Illustrated)”, p.1534, Delphi Classics

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Born: May 7, 1711
Died: August 25, 1776
Occupation: Philosopher
Cite this Page: Citation

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