Reading: Twenty-Five Quotes from David Hume

Twenty-Five Quotes from David Hume

1. "All the perceptions of the human mind resolve themselves into two distinct kinds, which I shall call impressions and ideas. The difference betwixt these consists in the degrees of force and liveliness, with which they strike upon the mind."

In A Treatise of Human Nature, Hume introduces his distinction between impressions (vivid, immediate sensations) and ideas (fainter copies of these impressions), which is fundamental to his theory of mind and knowledge.
(A Treatise of Human Nature, Book I, Part I)

2. "Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them."

Hume argues that reason alone cannot motivate action; instead, our desires and emotions (passions) are the true drivers of human behavior, with reason serving merely as a tool to achieve our goals.
(A Treatise of Human Nature, Book II, Part III, Section III)

3. "When we run over libraries, persuaded of these principles, what havoc must we make? If we take in our hand any volume... let us ask, Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames, for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion."

In An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Hume critiques works that rely on metaphysical speculation rather than empirical investigation, advocating for a scientific approach to knowledge.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section XII)

4. "A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence."

Hume stresses the importance of basing beliefs on the strength of the evidence, a key principle of his empiricism and skepticism.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X)

5. "Custom, then, is the great guide of human life. It is that principle alone which renders our experience useful to us, and makes us expect, for the future, a similar train of events with those which have appeared in the past."

Hume argues that our belief in causality is not based on reason but on custom and habit, as we expect the future to resemble the past because of repeated experiences.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section V)

6. "All belief of matter of fact or real existence is derived merely from some object, present to the memory or senses, and a customary conjunction between that and some other object."

In this quote, Hume outlines his theory of how we form beliefs about the world: through repeated experiences that create a habit of expecting certain events to follow others.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section V)

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

Hume’s provocative statement illustrates his belief that reason alone cannot dictate moral choices or values; moral judgments come from sentiments, not logic.
(A Treatise of Human Nature, Book II, Part III, Section III)

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

Hume emphasizes the distinction between thoughts (ideas) and sensations (impressions), arguing that even the most vivid thought lacks the intensity of an immediate sensory experience.
(A Treatise of Human Nature, Book I, Part I, Section I)

9. "Beauty in things exists merely in the mind which contemplates them."

Hume asserts that beauty is not an objective property of objects but a subjective experience that arises from the perception of the observer.
(Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, "Of the Standard of Taste")

10. "There is no method of reasoning more common, and yet none more blameable, than, in philosophical disputes, to endeavor the refutation of any hypothesis by a pretence of its dangerous consequences to religion and morality."

Hume critiques those who dismiss philosophical arguments by claiming they are harmful to religion or morality, insisting that the truth should be sought through reason alone.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section XI)

11. "The rules of morality are not the conclusion of our reason."

Hume argues that moral judgments are not derived from reason but from feelings of approval or disapproval that arise from human sentiments.
(A Treatise of Human Nature, Book III, Part I, Section I)

12. "Liberty of any kind is never lost all at once."

In his political writings, Hume observes that the erosion of liberty tends to happen gradually, rather than through sudden, dramatic changes.
(Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, "Of the Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences")

13. "Epicurus’s old questions are yet unanswered. Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?"

Hume restates the problem of evil, a classic challenge to the idea of an all-powerful, all-good deity, showing the difficulty of reconciling the existence of evil with divine attributes.
(Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Part X)

14. "There is a great difference betwixt such a philosophy as this, and that which pretends to be entirely sceptical, and to recommend an universal doubt, not only of all our former opinions and principles, but also of our very faculties."

Hume distinguishes between his moderate skepticism, which questions specific claims, and radical skepticism, which doubts the reliability of all knowledge and sense perception.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section XII)

15. "It is not reason which is the guide of life, but custom."

Hume contends that human behavior is governed more by habits and customs formed through repeated experience than by reason or rational deliberation.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section V)

16. "No testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous than the fact which it endeavors to establish."

Hume challenges the credibility of miracle claims, arguing that it is always more likely that the testimony is false than that a miracle has occurred.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X)

17. "He is happy whom circumstances suit his temper; but he is more excellent who suits his temper to any circumstance."

Hume reflects on happiness, suggesting that true excellence lies not in external circumstances but in the ability to adjust one’s temperament to any situation.
(Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, "Of the Stoic")

18. "The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster."

This quote reflects Hume’s naturalistic view of human existence, rejecting the idea that human life holds any special significance in the grand scheme of the universe.
(A Treatise of Human Nature, Book I, Part IV, Section VI)

19. "Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous."

Hume suggests that while philosophical mistakes may be intellectually amusing, religious errors can lead to serious and harmful consequences for individuals and societies.
(Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, "Of Superstition and Enthusiasm")

20. "I may venture to affirm of mankind, that they are much oftener led by their hearts than by their understandings."

Hume emphasizes that human beings are more often driven by emotions and passions than by rational thought, underscoring his view of human nature.
(Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, "Of Eloquence")

21. "The mind is a kind of theatre, where several perceptions successively make their appearance; pass, repass, glide away, and mingle in an infinite variety of postures and situations."

Hume describes his view of the self as a collection of fleeting perceptions, rather than a stable, unified entity.
(A Treatise of Human Nature, Book I, Part IV, Section VI)

22. "Nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few."

In his political writings, Hume reflects on the nature of power and governance, noting the remarkable ability of small elites to control large populations.
(Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, "Of the First Principles of Government")

23. "Men often act knowingly against their interest: For which reason the views of the statesman ought, in the main, to be conformable to the opinions of the people, and ought not to oppose them too much."

Hume recognizes the irrationality of human behavior, suggesting that political leaders should work with, rather than against, popular opinion.
(Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, "Of the First Principles of Government")

24. "It is certain that the easy and vulgar philosophy will always have the preference over the accurate."

Hume laments that people generally prefer simple and accessible ideas over more complex and accurate philosophical inquiries.
(An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section I)

25. "Heaven and Hell suppose two distinct species of men, the good and the bad. But the greatest part of mankind float between vice and virtue."

In this quote, Hume critiques the binary division of humanity into the morally good and bad, arguing that most people possess a mix of both qualities.
(Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Part X)