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David Hume Quotes - Page 5

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

Self-denial is a monkish virtue.

Self-denial is a monkish virtue.

Self, Denial, Virtue

Tis evident that all reasonings concerning matter of fact are founded on the relation of cause and effect, and that we can never infer the existence of one object from another, unless they be connected together, either mediately or immediately... Here is a billiard ball lying on the table, and another ball moving toward it with rapidity. They strike; and the ball which was formerly at rest now acquires a motion. This is as perfect an instance of the relation of cause and effect as any which we know, either by sensation or reflection.

Lying, Moving, Reflection

Custom is the great guide to human life.

Guides, Human Life, Humans

Terence Penelhum, David Hume (1992). “David Hume: an introduction to his philosophical system”, Purdue Univ Pr

But, historians, and even common sense, may inform us, that, however specious these ideas of perfect equality may seem, they are really, at bottom, impracticable; and were they not so, would be extremely pernicious to human society. Render possessions ever so equal, men's different degrees of art, care, and industry will immediately break that equality. Or if you check these virtues, you reduce society to the most extreme indigence; and instead of preventing want and beggary in a few, render it unavoidable to the whole community.

Art, Men, Ideas

David Hume (2013). “Essays and Treatises on Philosophical Subjects”, p.290, Broadview Press

The most perfect philosophy of the natural kind only staves off our ignorance a little longer: as perhaps the most perfect philosophy of the moral or metaphysical kind serves only to discover larger portions of it. Thus the observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy, and meets us at every turn, in spite of our endeavours to elude or avoid it.

Philosophy, Ignorance, Perfect

David Hume (1793). “Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects”, p.31

It is with books as with women, where a certain plainness of manner and of dress is more engaging than that glare of paint and airs and apparel which may dazzle the eye, but reaches not the affections.

Book, Eye, Air

David Hume (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of David Hume (Illustrated)”, p.697, Delphi Classics

In a vain man, the smallest spark may kindle into the greatest flame, because the materials are always prepared for it.

Men, Vanity, Flames

What we call a mind is nothing but a heap or collection of different perceptions, united together by certain relations and supposed, though falsely, to be endowed with a perfect simplicity and identity.

Perfect, Simplicity, Perception

David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.163, 谷月社

In ancient times, bodily strength and dexterity, being of greater use and importance in war, was also much more esteemed and valued, than at present. ... In short, the different ranks of men are, in a great measure, regulated by riches.

War, Men, Political

No advantages in this world are pure and unmixed.

Philosophical, World, Advantage

David Hume (1758). “Essays and Treatises on several subjects, etc. New edition”, p.81

I am apt to suspect the Negroes to be naturally inferior to the Whites. There scarcely ever was a civilization of their complexion, nor even any individual, eminent either in action or speculation.

Race, Civilization, Action

David Hume (2007). “Essays: Moral, Political and Literary”, p.213, Cosimo, Inc.

Great pleasures are much less frequent than great pains.

Pain, Pleasure

David Hume (1825). “Essays and treatises on several subjects: essays, moral, political and literary”, p.3

For my part, when I enter most intimately into what I call myself, I always stumble on some particular perception or other, of heat or cold, light or shade, love or hatred, pain or pleasure. I never can catch myself at any time without a perception, and never can observe anything but the perception.

Pain, Light, Self

1739 A Treatise of Human Nature, bk.1, pt.4, section 6.

All sentiment is right; because sentiment has a reference to nothing beyond itself, and is always real, wherever a man is conscious of it. But all determinations of the understanding are not right; because they have a reference to something beyond themselves, to wit, real matter of fact; and are not always conformable to that standard.

Determination, Real, Men

David Hume (2015). “Of the Standard of Taste”, p.4, David Hume

We learn the influence of our will from experience alone. And experience only teaches us, how one event constantly follows another; without instructing us in the secret connexion, which binds them together, and renders them inseparable.

Secret, Experience, Together

David Hume (2016). “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding: Revision of Great Book”, p.51, VM eBooks

The first ideas of religion arose, not from contemplation of the works of nature, but from a concern with regard to the events of life.

Ideas, Events, Firsts

David Hume (2016). “The Natural History of Religion: Revision of Great Book”, p.7, VM eBooks

Friendship is a calm and sedate affection, conducted by reason and cemented by habit; springing from long acquaintance and mutual obligations, without jealousies or fears, and without those feverish fits of heat and cold, which cause such an agreeable torment in the amorous passion.

Friendship, Passion, Long

David Hume (2016). “Essays Moral, Political, Literary: Revision of Great Book”, p.161, VM eBooks

The fact that different cultures have different practices no more refutes [moral] objectivism than the fact that water flows in different directions in different places refutes the law of gravity

Law, Practice, Water

When suicide is out of fashion we conclude that none but madmen destroy themselves; and all the efforts of courage appear chimerical to dastardly minds ... Nevertheless, how many instances are there, well attested, of men, in every other respect perfectly discreet, who, without remorse, rage, or despair, have quitted life for no other reason than because it was a burden to them, and have died with more composure than they lived?

Suicide, Fashion, Men

David Hume (1799). “ESSAYS ON SUICIDE AND THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL”, p.60

The most lively thought is still inferior to the dullest sensation.

Lazy, Lively, Stills

David Hume (2012). “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding”, p.21, tredition

God is an ever-present spirit guiding all that happens to a wise and holy end.

Faith, Wise, Spirit

When I shall be dead, the principles of which I am composed will still perform their part in the universe, and will be equally useful in the grand fabric, as when they composed this individual creature. The difference to the whole will be no greater betwixt my being in a chamber and in the open air. The one change is of more importance to me than the other; but not more so to the universe.

Air, Differences, Principles

David Hume (1875). “Essays Moral, Political, and Literary”, p.412

Weakness, fear, melancholy, together with ignorance, are the true sources of superstition. Hope, pride, presumption, a warm indignation, together with ignorance, are the true sources of enthusiasm.

Ignorance, Pride, Together

To philosopher and historian the madness and imbecile wickedness of mankind ought to appear ordinary events.

Stupidity, Events, Ordinary

Disbelief in futurity loosens in a great measure the ties of morality, and may be for that reason pernicious to the peace of civil society.

Ties, May, Belief

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