David Hume
David Hume
David Hume– 25 August 1776) or David Homewas a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, who is best known today for his highly influential system of radical philosophical empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth7 May 1711
philosophy secret benefits
The chief benefit, which results from philosophy, arises in an indirect manner, and proceeds more from its secret, insensible influence, than from its immediate application.
sentimental vain cases
Accuracy is, in every case, advantageous to beauty, and just reasoning to delicate sentiment. In vain would we exalt the one by depreciating the other.
learning men numbers
There is not to be found, in all history, any miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good sense, education and learning, as to secure us against all delusion in themselves.
ideas emotion human-nature
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.
understanding three fancy
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.
philosophical world advantage
No advantages in this world are pure and unmixed.
life reason guides
It is not reason which is the guide of life, but custom.
imperfection reason natural
Any person seasoned with a just sense of the imperfections of natural reason, will fly to revealed truth with the greatest avidity.
passion men knees
Men are much oftener thrown on their knees by the melancholy than by the agreeable passions.
vivid-imagination able belief
Belief is nothing but a more vivid, lively, forcible, firm, steady conception of an object, than what the imagination alone is ever able to attain.
spurs industry avarice
Avarice, the spur of industry.
philosophical growth divinity
Scholastic learning and polemical divinity retarded the growth of all true knowledge.
christian believe philosophical
To be a philosophical sceptic is, in a man of letters, the first and most essential to being a sound, believing Christian.
men decision miracle
When anyone tells me that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself whether it be more probable that this person should either deceive or be deceived or that the fact which he relates should really have happened. I weigh the one miracle against the other and according to the superiority which I discover, I pronounce my decision. Always I reject the greater miracle. If the falsehood of his testimony would be more miraculous than the event which he relates, then and not till then, can he pretend to command my belief or opinion.