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Men are much oftener thrown on their knees by the melancholy than by the agreeable passions.

David Hume

Passion, Men, Knees

David Hume, Tom L. Beauchamp (2007). “A Dissertation on the Passions: The Natural History of Religion : a Critical Edition”, p.42, Oxford University Press

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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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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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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, in my philosophical disquisitions, I deny a providence and a future state, I undermine not the foundations of society, but advance principles, which they themselves, upon their own topics, if they argue consistently, must allow to be solid and satisfactory.

David Hume

Philosophical, Atheism, Foundation

David Hume (1758). “Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects”, p.358

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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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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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On the theory of the soul's mortality, the inferiority of women's capacity is easily accounted for: Their domestic life requires no higher faculties either of mind or body. This circumstance vanishes and becomes absolutely insignificant, on the religious theory: The one sex has an equal task to perform as the other: Their powers of reason and resolution ought also to have been equal, and both of them infinitely greater than at present.

David Hume

Religious, Sex, Women

David Hume, Richard H. Popkin (1998). “Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (Second Edition)”, p.93, Hackett Publishing

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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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It must appear impossible, that theism could, from reasoning, have been the primary religion of human race, and have afterwards, by its corruption, given birth to polytheism and to all the various superstitions of the heathen world. Reason, when obvious, prevents these corruptions: When abstruse, it keeps the principles entirely from the knowledge of the vulgar, who are alone liable to corrupt any principle or opinion.

David Hume

Race, Principles, World

David Hume (2016). “The Natural History of Religion: Revision of Great Book”, p.5, VM eBooks

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For the purposes of life and conduct, and society, a little good sense is surely better than all this genius, and a little good humour than this extreme sensibility.

David Hume

Purpose, Genius, Littles

David Hume, J. Y. T. Greig (2011). “The Letters of David Hume:”, p.46, Oxford University Press, USA

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There is, indeed a more mitigated scepticism or academical philosophy, which may be both durable and useful, and which may, in part, be the result of this Pyrrhonism, or excessive scepticism, when its undistinguished doubts are corrected by common sense and reflection.

David Hume

Philosophy, Reflection, Common Sense

David Hume, Eric Steinberg (1993). “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding ; [with] A Letter from a Gentleman to His Friend in Edinburgh ; [and] An Abstract of a Treatise of Human Nature”, p.111, Hackett Publishing

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And as this is the obvious appearance of things, it must be admitted, till some hypothesis be discovered, which by penetrating deeper into human nature, may prove the former affections to be nothing but modifications of the latter. All attempts of this kind have hitherto proved fruitless, and seem to have proceeded entirely from that love of simplicity which has been the source of much false reasoning in philosophy.

David Hume

Philosophy, Simplicity, Words Of Wisdom

David Hume (1758). “Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects”, p.402

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We can conceive a thinking being to have either many or few perceptions. Suppose the mind to be reduced even below the life of anoyster. Suppose it to have only one perception, as of thirst or hunger. Consider it in that situation. Do you conceive any thing but merely that perception? Have you any notion of self or substance? If not, the addition of other perceptions can never give you that notion.

David Hume

Thinking, Self, Oysters

David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Illustrated”, p.786, eKitap Projesi via PublishDrive

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.. that a rule, which, in speculation, may seem the most advantageous to society, may yet be found, in practice, totally pernicious and destructive.

David Hume

Practice, May, Ethics

David Hume, Tom L. Beauchamp (2006). “An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals: A Critical Edition”, p.20, Oxford University Press

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The advantages found in history seem to be of three kinds, as it amuses the fancy, as it improves the understanding, and as it strengthens virtue.

David Hume

Understanding, Three, Fancy

David Hume (1826). “And the human understanding. An inquiry concerning the principles of morals. Appendix. The natural history of religion”, p.530

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Luxury, or a refinement on the pleasures and conveniences of life, had long been supposed the source of every corruption in government, and the immediate cause of faction, sedition, civil wars, and the total loss of liberty. It was, therefore, universally regarded as a vice, and was an object of declamation to all satyrists, and severe moralists.

David Hume

War, Loss, Luxury

David Hume (1751). “An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals”, p.30

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It were better, never to look beyond the present material world. By supposing it to contain the principle of its order within itself, we really assert it to be God; and the sooner we arrive at that divinity, the better.

David Hume

Supposing That, Order, Principles

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.463

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I do not think a philosopher who would apply himself so earnestly to the explaining the ultimate principles of the soul, would show himself a great master in the very science of human nature, which he pretends to explain, or very knowing in what is naturally satisfactory to the mind of man.

David Hume

Men, Thinking, Knowing

David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.5, 谷月社

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

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