David Hume, (born May 7 [April 26, Old Style], 1711, Edinburgh, Scotland—died August 25, 1776, Edinburgh), Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism . Hume conceived of philosophy as the inductive, experimental science of human nature.
What is Hume’s theory?
Hume claims that moral distinctions are not derived from reason but rather from sentiment . ... In the Treatise he argues against the epistemic thesis (that we discover good and evil by reasoning) by showing that neither demonstrative nor probable/causal reasoning has vice and virtue as its proper objects.
Who is David Hume and what did he do?
David Hume (/hjuːm/; born David Home; 7 May 1711 NS (26 April 1711 OS) – 25 August 1776) was a Scottish Enlightenment philosopher, historian, economist, librarian and essayist , who is best known today for his highly influential system of philosophical empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism.
Who did David Hume influence?
As a philosopher
Hume was one of the influences that led Auguste Comte , the 19th-century French mathematician and sociologist, to develop positivism.
Does Hume believe in God?
This combination of skepticism and empiricism leads many to presume that, regarding the question of God, Hume is an atheist or, at best, an agnostic. ... Hume challenges some of the arguments for the existence of God, but repeatedly in his writings, he affirms God’s existence and speculates about God’s nature.
What is the most famous work of David Hume?
A master stylist in any genre, Hume’s major philosophical works — A Treatise of Human Nature (1739-1740) , the Enquiries concerning Human Understanding (1748) and concerning the Principles of Morals (1751), as well as the posthumously published Dialogues concerning Natural Religion (1779) — remain widely and deeply ...
What are the problems with Hume’s theory of causation?
Instead of taking the notion of causation for granted, Hume challenges us to consider what experience allows us to know about cause and effect . Hume shows that experience does not tell us much. Of two events, A and B, we say that A causes B when the two always occur together, that is, are constantly conjoined.
How does Hume define cause?
A cause as a philosophical relation is defined as (para. 31): ” An object precedent and contiguous to another, and where all objects *resembling the former are placed in like relations of precedency and contiguity to those objects that resemble the latter .”
Why is Hume important today?
Today, philosophers recognize Hume as a thoroughgoing exponent of philosophical naturalism , as a precursor of contemporary cognitive science, and as the inspiration for several of the most significant types of ethical theory developed in contemporary moral philosophy.
How did Hume influence America?
Like his philosophical beliefs, Hume’s essays on politics and economics were influential in his time. Historians have concluded that James Madison read Hume’s Essays, Moral and Political and applied some of the ideas from this work while helping write the Constitution and The Federalist Papers.
How did Hume influence Kant?
Hume’s treatment of causality exerted a profound influence on Kant. He tells us that his “labor” in the Critique of Pure Reason was fundamentally a response to “that Humean skeptical teaching” (CPrR 5:32). The direct impact of Hume’s moral philosophy is less clear.
Why was Hume a skeptic?
David Hume held views within the tradition of skepticism. In other words, the argument that we cannot know anything about the world with certainty . He argued that we have no rational justification for most of what we believe. ... He argued that we can only really say that something is more probable, not that it is certain.
What did Hume say about God?
In this section Hume emphasizes the point that God’s being is “so different, and so much superior” to human nature that we are not able to form any clear or distinct idea of his nature and attributes, much less one based on our own qualities and characteristics.
Is Hume an existentialist?
Personally, reading Hume was exciting because of connections between his ideas and philosophies I’m more familiar with that came after him, especially Existentialism and Absurdism.
What did Hume say about miracles?
Accordingly Hume says (Enquiries p. 115ff) that “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 .” We must always decide in favor of the lesser miracle.
What is the meaning of Hume?
Definitions of Hume. Scottish philosopher whose sceptical philosophy restricted human knowledge to that which can be perceived by the senses (1711-1776) synonyms: David Hume. example of: philosopher. a specialist in philosophy.
