Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.
— A Treatise of Human Nature
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist and essayist known for his highly influential system of empiricism, philosophical scepticism and metaphysical naturalism. Beginning with A Treatise of Human Nature, he set out to create a naturalistic science of man that examined the psychological basis of human nature.
Following John Locke, he rejected the existence of innate ideas, holding that all ideas ultimately derive from impressions, while distinguishing relations of ideas, known a priori, from matters of fact, which rest on experience. This places him in the empiricist tradition of Locke and George Berkeley, with an experimental method drawn from Francis Bacon. He argued that inductive reasoning and belief in causality cannot be justified empirically. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding and A Treatise of Human Nature are his most quoted works in our library.
Following John Locke, he rejected the existence of innate ideas, holding that all ideas ultimately derive from impressions, while distinguishing relations of ideas, known a priori, from matters of fact, which rest on experience. This places him in the empiricist tradition of Locke and George Berkeley, with an experimental method drawn from Francis Bacon. He argued that inductive reasoning and belief in causality cannot be justified empirically. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding and A Treatise of Human Nature are his most quoted works in our library.
Most quoted works
- An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding 6
- A Treatise of Human Nature 5
- An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals 2
- Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion 2
- Essays: Moral, Political and Literary 2
- On Suicide 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.
— A Treatise of Human Nature
No man ever threw away life while it was worth keeping.
— Essays on Suicide and the Immortality of the Soul
As every inquiry which regards religion is of the utmost importance, there are two questions in particular which challenge our attention, to wit, that concerning its foundation in reason, and that concerning it origin in human nature.
— The Natural History of Religion
To be a philosophical Sceptic is the first and most essential step towards being a sound, believing Christian.
— Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion and The Natural History of Religion
Of all sciences there is none, where first appearances are more deceitful than in politics.
— Selected Essays
Indulge your passion for science…but let your science be human, and such as may have a direct reference to action and society. Be a philosopher; but amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
— An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
Does a man of sense run after every silly tale of hobgoblins or fairies, and canvass particularly the evidence? I never knew anyone, that examined and deliberated about nonsense who did not believe it before the end of his enquiries.
— Letters of David Hume 2 vols
Nothing is more usual than for philosophers to encroach upon the province of grammarians; and to engage in disputes of words, while they imagine that they are handling controversies of the deepest importance and concern.
— An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals
Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
— An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding