David Hume (1711–76) was a Scottish philosopher, economist, and historian. He rejected the possibility of certainty in knowledge and claimed that all the data of reason stem from experience by the senses.
Born in Edinburgh, Hume was fascinated by literature and philosophy at a young age. He became obsessed with the idea of truth; it caused him to lose his faith when he was 18 years old. After finishing his studies, he moved to France for private studies, and wrote his Treatise of Human Nature (1739–40,) in which he argued that reasoning was merely the habit of the mind as it attempted to make sense of random events, and that reason would never be adequate to arrive at the ultimate cause of anything. He argued that it was impossible to go beyond the subjective experiences of impressions and ideas. He also wrote An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748,) An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (1751,) and Essays: Moral, Political, and Literary (1752.)
In 1755, the Church of England tried to prosecute Hume for his religious skepticism, but the case was dismissed. Hume thus became one of the first to openly question the existence of God without almost no consequences.
Hume’s philosophical writings went overlooked during his lifetime, and the considerable fame he achieved derived from his work as an essayist and a historian. While working as a librarian, Hume wrote the six-volume History of England (1762,) which became a best-seller for more than a century and gave him the financial independence to write and revise his many philosophical treatises.
Hume became the leading figure of a group of Scottish intellectuals, including the economist Adam Smith (who invented the study of economics,) Adam Ferguson (who helped invent sociology,) James Hutton (who invented geology,) Joseph Black and William Cullen (who invented modern chemistry,) James Watt (who developed the steam engine,) James Boswell (who wrote the biography of Samuel Johnson,) Walter Scott (who wrote the first great novel,) and Hugh Blair (the first University professor to teach a course in English literature.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by David Hume
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.
—David Hume
Topics: Beliefs
Eloquence, at its highest pitch, leaves little room for reason or reflection, but addresses itself entirely to the desires and affections, captivating the willing hearers, and subduing their understanding.
—David Hume
Topics: Eloquence, Conversation
The figure which a man makes in life, the reception which he meets with in company, the esteem paid him by his acquaintance—all these depend as much upon his good sense and judgment, as upon any other part, of his character. A man of the best intentions, and farthest removed from all injustice and violence, would never be able to make himself much regarded, without a moderate share of parts and understanding.
—David Hume
Topics: Common Sense
What praise is implied in the simple epithet useful! What reproach in the contrary.
—David Hume
Topics: Usefullness
The great end of all human industry is the attainment of happiness. For this were arts invented, sciences cultivated, laws ordained, and societies modeled, by the most profound wisdom of patriots and legislators. Even the lonely savage, who lies exposed to the inclemency of the elements and the fury of wild beasts, forgets not, for a moment, this grand object of his being.
—David Hume
Topics: Happiness
Almost everyone has a predominant inclination, to which his other desires and actions submit, and which governs him, though perhaps with some intervals, through the whole course of his life.
—David Hume
All advantages are attended with disadvantages.—A universal compensation prevails in all conditions of being and existence.
—David Hume
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.
—David Hume
Topics: Enthusiasm, Superstition
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
Topics: Ambition
Doctor, as I believe you would not choose to tell any thing but the truth, you had better tell him, that I am dying as fast as my enemies, if I have any, could wish, and as easily and cheerfully as my best friends could desire.
—David Hume
Topics: Death
If refined sense and exalted sense be not so useful as common sense, their rarity, their novelty, and the nobleness of their objects make some compensation, and render them the admiration of mankind; as gold, though less serviceable than iron, acquires from its scarcity a value which is much superior.
—David Hume
Human life is more governed by fortune than by reason.
—David Hume
Topics: Fortune
Such is the nature of novelty that I where anything pleases it becomes doubly agreeable if new; but if it displeases, it is doubly displeasing on that I very account.
—David Hume
Nothing can be more unphilosophical than to be positive or dogmatical on any subject.—When men are the most sure and arrogant, they are commonly the most mistaken and have there given reins to passion without that proper deliberation and suspense, which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities.
—David Hume
Topics: Certainty, Pride
A man’s genius is always, in the beginning of life, as much unknown to himself as to others; and it is only after frequent trials, attended with success, that he dares think himself equal to those undertakings in which those who have succeeded have fixed the admiration of mankind.
—David Hume
Topics: Genius
Trivial circumstances, which show the manners of the age, are often more instructive as well as entertaining, than the great transactions of wars and negotiations, which are nearly similar in all periods, and in all countries of the world.
—David Hume
So great is the force of laws, and of particular forms of government, and so little dependence have they on the humors and tempers of men, that consequences almost as general and certain may sometimes be deduced from them, as any which the mathematical sciences afford us.
—David Hume
Topics: Law
A man’s time, when well husbanded, is like a cultivated field, of which a few acres produces more of what is useful to life, than extensive provinces, even of the richest soil, when overrun with weeds and brambles.
—David Hume
Topics: Time
All power, even the most despotic, rests ultimately on opinion.
—David Hume
Topics: Opinion
Riches are valuable at all times and to all men, because they always purchase pleasures such as men are accustomed to and desire: nor can anything restrain or regulate the love of money but a sense of honor and virtue, which, if not equal at all times, will naturally abound most in ages of knowledge and refinement.
—David Hume
Topics: Riches
Custom, then, is the great guide to human life.
—David Hume
Topics: Habits, Custom
Vanity is so closely allied to virtue, and to love the fame of laudable actions approaches so near the love of laudable actions for their own sake, that these passions are more capable of mixture than any other kinds of affection; and it is almost impossible to have the latter without some degree of the former.
—David Hume
Topics: Vanity
To be happy, the temperament must be cheerful and gay, not gloomy and melancholy.—A propensity to hope and joy, is real riches; one to fear and sorrow, is real poverty.
—David Hume
Topics: Cheerfulness, Hope
Among the other excellencies of man, this is one, that he can form the image of perfection much beyond what he has experience of in himself, and is not limited in his conception of wisdom and virtue.
—David Hume
Topics: Perfection
Such superiority do the pursuits of literature possess above every other occupation, that even he who attains but a mediocrity in them, merits the pre eminence above those who excel the most in the common and vulgar professions.
—David Hume
Topics: Literature
There is a sort 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 truth, these people mistake the means of pleasing, and incur universal blame.
—David Hume
Topics: Exaggeration
On the theory of the soul
—David Hume
Topics: Women
It is certain that a serious attention to the sciences and liberal arts softens and humanizes the temper, and cherishes those fine emotions in which true virtue and honor consist. It very rarely happens that a man of taste and learning is not, at least, an honest man, whatever frailties may attend him.
—David Hume
Topics: Science
Delicacy of taste has the same effect as delicacy of passion; it enlarges the sphere both of our happiness and misery, and makes us sensible to pain as well as pleasures, which escape the rest of mankind.
—David Hume
Topics: Taste
Character is the result of a system of stereotyped principals.
—David Hume
Topics: Character
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