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David Hume Quotes - Page 13

All Quotes Affection Age Ambition Appearance Arrogance Art Atheism Beauty Belief Character Common Sense Constitution Corruption Country Curiosity Death Desire Determination Doubt Empathy Enthusiasm Ethics Evil Experience Feelings Friendship Genius Giving God Happiness Heart History Honesty Human Nature Humility Ignorance Imagination Imperfection Judgement Judgment Justice Knowledge Labor Learning Liberty Life Lying Mankind Morality Nature Office Pain Painting Passion Past Perception Philosophy Pleasure Praise Purpose Quality Reality Reflection Religion Revenge Running Science Sorrow Soul Spring Study Truth Understanding Universe Virtue War Weakness

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.

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.

Purpose, Genius, Littles

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

It is evident, from their method of propagation, that a couple of cats, in fifty years, would stock a whole kingdom; and if that religious veneration were still paid them, it would, in twenty more, not only be easier in Egypt to find a god than a man, which Petronius says was the case in some parts of Italy; but the gods must at last entirely starve the men, and leave themselves neither priests nor votaries remaining.

Religious, Couple, Cat

David Hume, Tom L. Beauchamp (2007). “A Dissertation on the Passions: The Natural History of Religion : a Critical Edition”, p.70, Oxford University Press

A hundred cabinet-makers in London can work a table or a chair equally well; but no one poet can write verses with such spirit and elegance as Mr. Pope.

Writing, Tables, London

David Hume (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of David Hume (Illustrated)”, p.634, Delphi Classics

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.

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

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.

Thinking, Self, Oysters

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

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.

Philosophy, Simplicity, Words Of Wisdom

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

A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.

Stupid, Philosophical, Design

If ... the past may be no Rule for the future, all Experience becomes useless and can give rise to no Inferences or Conclusions.

Future, Science, Past

David Hume (1758). “Essays and Treatises on several subjects, etc. New edition”, p.305

Few enjoyments are given from the open and liberal hand of nature; but by art, labor and industry we can extract them in great abundance. Hence, the ideas of property become necessary in all civil society.

Art, Hands, Ideas

David Hume (1758). “Essays and Treatises on several subjects, etc. New edition”, p.411

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

Practice, May, Ethics

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

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.

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

Nothing is more dangerous to reason than the flights of the imagination and nothing has been the occasion of more mistakes among philosophers.

Mistake, Imagination, Philosopher

David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature”, p.463, David Hume

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.

War, Loss, Luxury

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

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.

Men, Thinking, Knowing

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

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.

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

But in many orders of beauty, particularly those of the finer arts, it is requisite to employ much reasoning, in order to feel the proper sentiment; and a false relish may frequently be corrected by argument and reflection. There are just grounds to conclude, that moral beauty partakes of this latter species, and demands the assistance of our intellectual faculties, in order to give it a suitable influence on the human mind.

Art, Reflection, Order

David Hume, J. B. Schneewind (1983). “An Enquiry Concerning The Principles of Morals”, p.15, Hackett Publishing

There is a set of harmless liars, frequently to be met with in company, who deal much in the marvellous. Their usual intention is to please and entertain; but as men are most delighted with what they conceive to be the truth, these people mistake the means of pleasing, and incur universal blame.

Mistake, Liars, Mean

David Hume (2013). “An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals”, p.71, Simon and Schuster

Municipal laws are a supply to the wisdom of each individual; and, at the same time, by restraining the natural liberty of men, make private interest submit to the interest of the public.

Wisdom, Men, Law

David Hume (1825). “Essays and treatises on several subjects: essays, moral, political and literary”, p.180

The great subverter of Pyrrhonism or the excessive principles of scepticism is action, and employment, and the occupations of common life.

Principles, Employment, Occupation

David Hume (2013). “Essays and Treatises on Philosophical Subjects”, p.214, Broadview Press

A pleasant comedy, which paints the manners of the age, and exposes a faithful picture of nature, is a durable work, and is transmitted to the latest posterity. But a system, whether physical or metaphysical, commonly owes its success to its novelty; and is no sooner canvassed with impartiality than its weakness is discovered.

Faithful, Age, Weakness

David Hume (2016). “The History of England, vol. 1~6, Completed: Revision of Great Book”, p.2565, VM eBooks

Every movement of the theater by a skilful poet is communicated, as it were, by magic, to the spectators; who weep, tremble, resent, rejoice, and are inflamed with all the variety of passions which actuate the several personages of the drama.

Drama, Passion, Magic

David Hume (1825). “Essays and treatises on several subjects: An inquiry concerning human understanding. A dissertation on the passions. An inquiry concerning the principles of morals. The natural history of religion”, p.258

Fine writing, according to Mr. Addison, consists of sentiments which are natural without being obvious.

Writing, Natural, Fine

David Hume (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of David Hume (Illustrated)”, p.695, Delphi Classics

It is not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.

Philosophical, World, Reason

A Treatise upon Human Nature bk. 2 (1739)

There is an inconvenience which attends all abstruse reasoning. that it may silence, without convincing an antagonist, and requires the same intense study to make us sensible of its force, that was at first requisite for its invention. When we leave our closet, and engage in the common affairs of life, its conclusions seem to vanish, like the phantoms of the night on the appearance of the morning; and 'tis difficult for us to retain even that conviction, which we had attain'd with difficulty.

Morning, Night, Silence

David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.339, 谷月社

We may well ask, What causes induce us to believe in the existence of body? but 'tis vain to ask. Whether there be body or not? That is a point which we must take for granted in all our reasonings.

Believe, Causes, Body

David Hume (2016). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Revision of Great Book”, p.180, VM eBooks

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