{"id":450,"date":"2017-03-23T15:43:25","date_gmt":"2017-03-23T15:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.english-culture.com\/?p=450"},"modified":"2018-05-01T17:04:57","modified_gmt":"2018-05-01T17:04:57","slug":"david-hume-quotations-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.english-culture.com\/david-hume-quotations-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"David Hume Quotations (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"David<\/a>
David Hume quotes, aphorisms and ideas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/a>Stercus accidit.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Men are much oftener thrown on their knees by the melancholy than by the agreeable passions.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Men often act knowingly against their interest.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing endears so much a friend as sorrow for his death. The pleasure of his company has not so powerful an influence.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Philosophy would render us entirely Pyrrhonian, were not nature too strong for it.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The heights of popularity and patriotism are still the beaten road to power and tyranny.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The law always limits every power it gives.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The rules of morality are not the conclusion of our reason.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Epicurus’s old questions are still unanswered: Is he (God) willing to prevent evil, but not able? then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? then whence evil?<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

No man ever threw away life while it was worth keeping.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Reading and sauntering and lounging and dosing, which I call thinking, is my supreme Happiness.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The bigotry of theologians [is] a malady which seems almost incurable.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Any pride or haughtiness, is displeasing to us, merely because it shocks our own pride, and leads us by sympathy into comparison, which causes the disagreeable passion of humility.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

All sentiment is right; because sentiment has a reference to nothing beyond itself, and is always real, wherever a man is conscious of it. But all determinations of the understanding are not right; because they have a reference to something beyond themselves, to wit, real matter of fact; and are not always conformable to that standard.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

We make allowance for a certain degree of selfishness in men; because we know it to be inseparable from human nature, and inherent in our frame and constitution. By this reflexion we correct those sentiments of blame, which so naturally arise upon any opposition.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

To be a philosophical Sceptic is the first and most essential step towards being a sound, believing Christian.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

All that belongs to human understanding, in this deep ignorance and obscurity, is to be sceptical, or at least cautious, and not<\/span>
\nto admit of any hypothesis whatever, much less of any which is supported by no appearance of probability.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The sweetest and most inoffensive path of life leads through the avenues of science and learning; and whoever can either remove any obstructions in this way, or open up any new prospect, ought so far to be esteemed a benefactor to mankind.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Carelessness and in-attention alone can afford us any remedy. For this reason I rely entirely upon them.\u201d<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

In public affairs men are often better pleased that the truth, though known to everybody, should be wrapped up under a decent cover than if it were exposed in open daylight to the eyes of all the world.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

To philosopher and historian the madness and imbecile wickedness of mankind ought to appear ordinary events.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Heaven and Hell suppose two distinct species of men, the Good and the Bad.<\/span>
\nBut the greatest part of mankind float betwixt vice and virtue.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Be a philosopher, but amid all your philosophy be still a man.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The identity that we ascribe to things is only a fictitious one, established by the mind, not a peculiar nature belonging to what we\u2019re talking about.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Tis not unreasonable for me to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Here then we are first to consider a book, presented to us by a barbarous and ignorant people, written in an age when they were still more barbarous, and in all probability long after the facts which it relates, corroborated by no concurring testimony, and resembling those fabulous accounts, which every nation gives of its origin.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

A wise man apportions his beliefs to the evidence.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

[Rousseau is] the person whom I most revere both for the Force of [his] Genius and the Greatness of [his] mind […]\u201d<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Men’s views of things are the result of their understanding alone. Their conduct is regulated by their understanding, their temper, and their passions.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

No conclusion can be more agreable to scepticism than such as make discoveries concerning the weakness and narrow limites of human reason and capacity<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

[R]evolutions of government cannot be effected by the mere force of argument and reasoning.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

[T]he Old Testament, […] if considered as a general rule of conduct, would lead to consequences destructive of all principles of humanity and morality.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

When men are most sure and arrogant, they are commonly the most mistaken, and have then giver views to passion, without that proper deliberation and suspense which can alone secure them from the grossest absurdities.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Heaven and Hell suppose two distinct species of men, the Good and the Bad.<\/span>
\nBut the greatest part of mankind float betwixt vice and virtue.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The virtues of valor and love of liberty; the only virtues which can have place among an uncivilized people, where justice and humanity are commonly neglected.\u201d<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact that different cultures have different practices no more refutes [moral] objectivism than the fact that water flows in different directions in different places refutes the law of gravity.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

The Crusades – the most signal and most durable monument of human folly that has yet appeared in any age or nation.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

I never knew anyone, that examined and deliberated about nonsense, who did not believe it before the end of his enquiries.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

When principles are so absurd and so destructive of human society, it may safely be averred, that the more sincere and the more disinterested they are, they only become the more ridiculous and the more odious.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

[I]f subjects must never resist, it follows that every prince, without any effort, policy, or violence, is at once rendered absolute and uncontrollable.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Thomas Hobbes’s politics are fitted only to promote tyranny, and his ethics to encourage licentiousness.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

Governments too steady and uniform, as they are seldom free, so are they, in the judgment of some attended with another sensible inconvenience: they abate the active powers of men; depress courage, invention, and genius; and produce a universal lethary in the people.<\/span>
\nDavid Hume<\/span><\/p>\n

David Hume Quotations\u00a0 (Part 1)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Quotes by authors<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Quotes by arguments<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stercus accidit. David Hume Men are much oftener thrown on their knees by the melancholy than by the agreeable passions. David Hume Men often act knowingly against their interest. David Hume Nothing …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":149601,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[161,33,230,187,146,16,171,127,90],"tags":[642,635,643,636,644,645,646,637,638,647,648,649,650,288,651,652,653,654,655,656],"class_list":["post-450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aphorisms","category-education","category-freedom","category-ideas","category-life","category-philosophy","category-quotes","category-science","category-spirituality","tag-david","tag-david-hume-quotes","tag-david-hume-thoughts","tag-economist","tag-empiric-and-pragmatic-quotations","tag-empiricism","tag-english-philosopher-and-essayist","tag-essayist","tag-historian","tag-hume","tag-ideas-2","tag-life-and-existence-philosophy","tag-naturalism","tag-philosopher","tag-philosophical","tag-radical","tag-reflection","tag-scottish","tag-skepticism","tag-system"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t