55+ David Hume Quotes From The Influential Philosopher
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David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, and librarian among other fields of expertise that he held.
Hume is best known for his high influential philosophical skepticism and naturalism. Hume considered himself as a moralist despite his thorough theory of knowledge.
Hume investigated the nature of belief. He defined belief as a vividness or a type of liveliness that accompanied the perception of an idea.
As a writer, Hume was revered for his writings which exemplified the standards of his day. He was also revered as an economist for his contribution of new ideas which led to the introduction of the 'classical economics' on which the 18th century was built.
David Hume was a major influence on the philosophy of science, theology, and cognitive science. Read this article to discover some David Hume quotes on life, David Hume quotes on philosophy, David Hume quotes that are famous, David Hume quotes on religion, David Hume quotes from 'A Treatise On Human Nature', and more David Hume quotes.
For more related content take a look at these John Locke quotes and Kant quotes.
David Hume Quotes On Life
Here are some of the best David Hume quotes on life and its experiences.
1. “A propensity to hope and joy is real riches; one to fear and sorrow, real poverty.”
― David Hume.
2. “Reading and sauntering and lounging and dosing, which I call thinking, is my supreme happiness.”
― David Hume.
3. “But the life of a man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.”
― David Hume.
4. “A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.”
― David Hume.
5. “The truth springs from arguments amongst friends.”
― David Hume.
6. “When we reflect on the shortness and uncertainty of life, how despicable seem all our pursuits of happiness.”
― David Hume.
7. “The heights of popularity and patriotism are still the beaten road to power and tyranny.”
― David Hume.
8. “Character is the result of a system of stereotyped principals.”
― David Hume.
9. “Let these generous sentiments be supposed ever so weak; let them be insufficient to move even a hand or finger of our body.”
― David Hume.
10. “The greater part of mankind may be divided into two classes; that of shallow thinkers who fall short of the truth; and that of abstruse thinkers who go beyond it.”
― David Hume.
11. “It is to restrain [others’] selfishness that men… distinguish between their own goods and those of others.”
― David Hume.
12. “When the critic has no delicacy, he judges without any distinction, and is only affected by the grosser and more palpable qualities of the object.”
― David Hume.
David Hume Philosophy Quotes
Philosophical quotes by the renowned Scottish historian David Hume make us think.
13. “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.
14. “All the philosophy… in the world, and all the religion, which is nothing but a species of philosophy, will never be able to carry us beyond the usual course of experience.”
― David Hume.
15. “Abstract relations of ideas are the object of curiosity, not of volition.”
― David Hume.
16. “To consider the matter aright, reason is nothing but a wonderful and unintelligible instinct in our souls, which carries us along a certain train of ideas, and endows them with particular qualities.”
― David Hume.
17. “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.”
― David Hume.
18. “How could politics be a science, if laws and forms of government had not a uniform influence upon society?”
― David Hume.
19. “It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once.”
― David Hume.
20. “There is no such thing as freedom of choice unless there is freedom to refuse.”
― David Hume.
21. “Nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.”
― David Hume.
22. “The richest genius, like the most fertile soil, when uncultivated, shoots up into the rankest weeds.”
― David Hume.
23. “What a peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call 'thought'.”
― David Hume.
24. “It is possible for the same thing both to be and not to be.”
― David Hume.
David Hume Famous Quotes
Some famous quotes by David Hume are listed below.
25. “It's when we start working together that the real healing takes place... it's when we start spilling our sweat, and not our blood.”
― David Hume.
26. “Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; each mind perceives a different beauty.”
― David Hume.
27. “Never literary attempt was more unfortunate than my 'Treatise Of Human Nature'. It fell dead-born from the press.”
― David Hume.
28. “But such is the nature of the human mind, that it always lays hold on every mind that approaches it.”
― David Hume, ‘Essays, Moral, Political, And Literary’.
29. “Avarice, or the desire of gain, is a universal passion which operates at all times, at all places, and upon all persons.”
― David Hume.
30. “When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities.”
― David Hume.
31. “Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Natural Religion, are in some measure dependent on the science of man; since they lie under the cognizance of men, and are judged of by their powers and faculties.”
― David Hume.
32. “The great end of all human industry is the attainment of happiness.”
― David Hume.
33. “It is, therefore, a just political maxim, that every man must be supposed a knave.”
― David Hume.
34. “To philosopher and historian the madness and imbecile wickedness of mankind ought to appear ordinary events.”
― David Hume.
35. “He is happy whose circumstances suit his temper but he is more excellent who can suit his temper to any circumstances.”
― David Hume.
David Hume Religion Quotes
These quotes by Scottish philosopher David Hume on religion and the part it plays in human life are great.
36. “Superstition is an enemy to civil liberty.”
― David Hume.
37. “No human testimony can have such force as to prove a miracle, and make it a just foundation for any such system of religion.”
― David Hume.
38. “The Christian religion not only was at first attended with miracles, but even at this day cannot be believed by any reasonable person without one.”
― David Hume.
39. “Heaven and Hell suppose two distinct species of men, the Good and the Bad. But the greatest part of mankind float betwixt vice and virtue.”
― David Hume.
40. “It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause.”
― David Hume.
David Hume Quotes From ‘An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’
Some of the best quotes from Hume's book are about philosophy.
41. “What would become of history, had we not a dependence on the veracity of the historian, according to the experience, what we have had of mankind?”
― David Hume, ‘An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’.
42. “Hypothetical liberty is allowed to everyone who is not a prisoner and in chains.”
― David Hume, ‘An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’.
43. “The feelings of our heart, the agitation of our passions, the vehemence of our affections, dissipate all its conclusions, and reduce the profound philosopher to a mere plebeian.”
― David Hume, ‘An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’.
44. “Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.”
― David Hume, ‘An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’.
45. “A wise man... proportions his belief to the evidence.”
― David Hume, ‘An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’.
46. “Nature has pointed out a mixed kind of life as most suitable to the human race, and secretly admonished them to allow none of these biases to draw too much, so as to incapacitate them for other occupations and entertainments.”
― David Hume, ‘An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’.
David Hume Quotes From ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’
Here is our best selection of quotes from David Hume's book about human nature.
47. “A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
48. “Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
49. “The memory, senses, and understanding are, therefore, all of them founded on the imagination, or the vivacity of our ideas.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
50. “To hate, to love, to think, to feel, to see; all this is nothing but to perceive.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
51. “Human Nature is the only science of man; and yet has been hitherto the most neglected.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
52. “The identity that we ascribe to things is only a fictitious one, established by the mind, not a peculiar nature belonging to what we’re talking about.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
53. “Tis not unreasonable for me to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
54. “Judgments. A mistake, therefore, of right may become a species.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
55. “A man who hides himself, confesses as evidently the superiority of his enemy, as another who fairly delivers his arms.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
56. “[R]evolutions of government cannot be effected by the mere force of argument and reasoning.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
57. “Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
58. “We speak not strictly and philosophically when we talk of the combat of passion and of reason.”
― David Hume, ‘A Treatise Of Human Nature’.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for David Hume quotes, then why not take a look at these René Descartes quotes or Wittgenstein quotes too?
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An aspiring media professional, Srija is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Mass Communication at St. Xavier's University, Kolkata, after completing her degree in journalism. With experience in PR and social media, she has also honed her leadership skills through her participation in a youth parliament. Srija's interests include devouring books, watching movies, and exploring new places through travel.
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