The age-old questions posed by Epicurus have not been satisfactorily answered: Is he (God) willing to stop bad things from happening, but he just can’t? If this is the case, then he is not omnipotent. Is he capable but unwilling to do it? then he is evil. Is he able as well as eager to do it? So where does evil come from?
David Hume
Scottish Enlightenment philosopher and historian David Hume is best recognised today for his philosophical empiricism, scepticism, and naturalism style of reasoning.
| Born | David Home 7 May NS [26 April OS] 1711 Edinburgh, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Died | 25 August 1776 (aged 65) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Era | 18th-century philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
Here we have the collection of the David Hume Quotes which you can read in Hindi, English, Spanish and more languages by using the translator tool on the top left.
David Hume Quotes Images in Hindi and English
It is challenging for a man to talk at length about himself without being egotistical.
Reading, strolling, lazing around, and daydreaming—which I prefer to refer to as thinking—are the activities that bring me the utmost joy.
In general, the errors that are found in religion are harmful, but the faults that are found in philosophy are just ridiculous.
Be a philosopher, but don’t forget to be a man in the thick of all your intellectual pursuits.
Arguments amongst close friends often lead to the discovery of the truth.
The identity that we give to objects is merely a fake one, constructed by the mind; it is not a peculiar nature that is intrinsic to the object.
Only by being careless and not paying attention will we be able to get any relief. Because of this, I put absolutely all of my faith in them.
It is absurd to suppose that God has human passions, much less one of the lowest forms of human passion, which is an insatiable appetite for praise and acclaim.
He is pleased whose circumstances suit his temperament, but he is even better who can adapt his temperament to his situation.
Quotes By David Hume
There is no such thing as beauty in things themselves; rather, beauty is something that lives solely in the mind of the person who contemplates those things, and each mind is capable of perceiving a unique form of beauty.
When it comes to our justifications of facts, there is every conceivable degree of assurance, ranging from absolute certainty to the barest minimum of moral evidence. Therefore, a sensible man adjusts the scope of his beliefs in accordance with the available data.
The passions are the masters, as they should be, and reason is their slave.
On the other hand, the universe does not place any more significance on the life of a man than it does on the life of an oyster.
It is conceivable for the same thing to both exist and not exist at the same time.
To those who look at human affairs from a philosophical perspective, nothing seems more unexpected than the ease with which the few are able to dominate the many, and the implicit acquiescence with which individuals yield their own thoughts and passions to those of their rulers. When we investigate how this miracle is accomplished, we will discover that because force is always on the side of those who are controlled, those in positions of authority have nothing to back them other than their own opinions. Therefore, the foundation of any government is just that of an individual’s viewpoint, and this dictum holds true not only for the most authoritarian and militaristic countries, but also for the most democratic and widespread governments. It was possible for the sultan of Egypt or the emperor of Rome to force his docile followers to act in a manner that was contrary to their feelings and their natural inclination. According to their assessment, however, he must at least have led his mamalukes, sometimes known as praetorian bands, like men.
The perceptions that men have of things are solely the product of their own understanding. Their comprehension, their temperament, and their emotions all have a role in determining how they behave.
In the realm of public affairs, men are frequently more content with the fact that the truth, despite the fact that it is common knowledge, is concealed under a respectable cover than they would be if it were brought into the light where the entire world could see it.
Even while scepticism may be indisputable from a theoretical standpoint, sceptics nonetheless have to “act… and live, and discourse, like other men” since human nature leaves them with no other option.
Since any investigation into religion is of the utmost significance, there are two questions in particular that demand our attention. These are the question of religion’s foundation in reason and the question of religion’s origin in human nature. Both of these questions are of equal importance.
When people are their most confident and arrogant, they often make the most mistakes because they give in to their passions without engaging in the appropriate deliberation that is the only thing that can protect them from the most ludicrous ideas.
If we take any volume, say one on divinity or school metaphysics, and hold it in our hands, the first question we should examine is whether or not it contains any abstract reasoning regarding quantity or number. No. Is there any experimental reasoning concerning matters of fact and existence that may be found in it? No. Throw it into the fire, for it can hold nothing except sophistical arguments and illusions.
Does a rational man investigate every childish story about hobgoblins and fairies, paying great attention to the evidence? I have never met someone who investigated and thought deeply about nonsense who did not come to the conclusion that it was true well before he finished his research.
Reason is, and ought only to be, the slave of the passions, and it can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them. Moreover, reason can never pretend to any other office because it is incapable of doing so.
There is never a moment when one loses their liberty completely.
Your corn is ready to be picked today, and mine won’t be until tomorrow.
A sage adjusts his beliefs in accordance with the available evidence.
Both Heaven and Hell are based on the idea that there are two separate types of men: the Good and the Bad.
However, the majority of people on earth maintain a balance between good and evil.
Because we recognise that selfishness is an indivisible component of human nature and an essential component of our make-up and structure, we allow for a certain degree of it in other people. Through this introspection, we are able to correct those feelings of blame that so naturally surface in response to any opposition.
Indulge your interest for science…
However, your scientific endeavours should have a human focus and be of a nature that can have a clear bearing on how people behave and how societies function. Be a philosopher, but don’t forget to be a man in the thick of all your intellectual pursuits.
Being a sound believer in Christianity requires you to take many steps, the first and most important of which is to be a philosophical sceptic.
It is reasonable to expect that philosophers and historians will view the insanity and imbecilic evil of humans as everyday occurrences.
If my life doesn’t belong to me, it would be wrong for me to end it or put it in danger. Likewise, one person cannot be called a hero for putting his life in danger for the sake of fame or friendship, while another person can only be called a wretch or miserable person for doing the same or similar things.
All of its conclusions are rendered null and void when the feelings of our heart, the agitation of our passions, and the vehemence of our affections are taken into account. This reduces even the most profound philosopher to the level of a simple plebeian.
There is always a goal, an intention, or a design lurking behind everything—even the most thoughtless and inept of thinkers.
In this state of profound obscurity and ignorance, the only thing that is proper for human comprehension is to be sceptical, or at the very least, cautious, and to refuse to entertain any hypothesis, much less one that is supported by even the smallest semblance of probability.
The path of life that is the kindest and least offensive to others is the path that leads through the avenues of science and learning. Whoever can either remove any obstructions in this way, or open up any new prospect, ought to be regarded as a benefactor to mankind at this point in time.
It will be beneficial to both of us if I work alongside you today, and if you help me tomorrow, as both of our efforts will be mutually beneficial. I have no kindness for you, and I am well aware that you feel the same way about me. I will not, then, go to any trouble on your behalf; and should I labour with you on my own account, in hope of a return, I am certain that I shall be let down, and that I will depend in vain upon your gratitude if I do so. Therefore, I will leave you here to toil by yourself, and I expect the same treatment from you. The seasons come and go, and both of us end up with less crops because we lack confidence in one another and a sense of safety.
Because sentiment has no reference to anything beyond itself and constantly exists, regardless of whether a man is cognizant of it or not, all sentiments can be considered to be correct. However, not every conclusion that can be drawn from the understanding is correct. This is due to the fact that the understanding makes reference to something that is external to itself, namely, actual fact, and that reference is not always conformable to the standard.
How are we going to be able to fulfil our needs without continuing on forever? And, after all is said and done, what kind of satisfaction can be found in that never-ending progression? Let us not forget the tale of the Indian sage and the elephant that he owned. Its relevance to the discussion at hand has never been greater than at the present time. If the material world is supported by a parallel ideal world, then the support for the ideal world must come from another world, and so on and so forth, without limit. It is consequently in your best interest to never contemplate anything that exists outside of the current material reality.
Any form of pride or haughtiness is unappealing to us for no other reason than the fact that it jolts our own sense of superiority and compels us, through sympathy, to compare ourselves to others. This results in the disagreeable passion of humility.
When I pass away, the fundamental elements that make up my being will continue to play their part in the cosmos, and they will be just as helpful in the greater fabric of things as they were when they were used to construct this particular living thing. My being inside a room as opposed to being outside in the fresh air won’t make that much of a difference to the bigger picture. One of the changes is more significant to me than the other, but that does not mean it is more significant to the universe.
The full train of monkish qualities, including celibacy, fasting, penance, mortification, self-denial, humility, silence, and solitude…
Put people’s minds to sleep and make them callous, cloud their vision and make them irritable…
A gloomy, hair-brained fanatic may have a place in the calendar after his death, but while he is still living, he is extremely unlikely to ever be allowed into intimacy and society by anyone other than those who are just as delerious and miserable as he is.
The ease with which the few rule over the many, as well as the implicit submission with which people resign their own sentiments and passions to those of their rulers, is one of the things that most surprises people who look at human affairs with a philosophical eye. However, this is not the only thing that surprises them.
When suicide is less popular, we come to the conclusion that only insane people commit suicide, and all acts of bravery seem absurd to cunning minds. However, how many well-documented cases of otherwise perfectly discreet men who, without feeling guilt, wrath, or despair, gave up on life because it was a burden to them and died with greater calmness than they had lived?
the fact that various cultures have distinctive ways of doing things [Moral] subjectivism is not invalidated in the same way that the rule of gravity is invalidated by the observation that water might flow in different directions at different locations.
In the middle of all this activity, it is not reason that carries the prize; rather, eloquence does; and no one should ever needlessly despair of gaining proselytes to the most extravagant idea, who has the talent to paint it in any favourable colours. The soldiers who wield the pike and the sword are not the ones who win the battle; rather, it is the army’s trumpeters, drummers, and musicians who are responsible for the victory.
I don’t think anyone has ever given up on life while there was still a chance to make it worthwhile. For our natural revulsion of death is such that even the smallest of reasons can never bring us to terms with it; and even if the circumstances of a man’s health or fortune did not seem to require this remedy, we may at least be assured that anyone who has used it for no apparent reason has been cursed with such an incurable depravity or gloominess of temper as must poison all enjoyment, and render him as miserable as if he had been loaded with the most grievous of burdens.
Quotes on Miracles
When someone tells me that they witnessed a dead person being brought back to life, I instantly analyse whether it is more probable that the person should either be deceived or should be the one doing the deceiving, or whether the event that the person describes should truly have taken place. I compare each of the miracles to the others, and based on which one I determine to be superior, I then make my judgement. Always, I deny the possibility of a greater miracle. If the falsity of his testimony were to be more miraculous than the event that he relates, then and only then would he be able to pretend to command my belief or opinion. Until then, he has no right to do so.
No testimony can be used to prove the existence of a miracle, unless the testimony is of such a nature that its falsification would be more miraculous than the fact that it seeks to establish. In this case, the testimony would be sufficient.
David Hume Quotes on Self
For my part, whenever I venture into the depths of what I refer to as “myself,” I invariably come face to face with some specific perception or another, such as warmth or coldness, light or shadow, love or hatred, pain or pleasure. I never seem to be able to catch myself at a time when I don’t have a perception, and I never seem to be able to observe anything other than the perception…. If somebody, after giving it some serious and unprejudiced thought, comes to the conclusion that he has a different notion of himself, I must admit that I can no longer reason with them. My one concession to him is to acknowledge the possibility that he, like me, may be in the right but that, fundamentally, we approach this matter very differently. Even while I am confident there is no such principle within me, he may have the ability to detect something straightforward and ongoing that he refers to as himself.
You are a collection of experiences; make an effort to think about your “self.” You cannot. Or, when you do so, the only things that enter your mind are specific impressions, such as hot or cold, light or dark, love or hate, pain or pleasure, and so on and so forth. As a consequence of this, all that “you” are is a collection of sequential impressions or perceptions.
What am I doing, and where am I? What are the conditions that gave rise to my existence, and where will I go after my time here is done? … I am at a loss for words in response to all of these queries, and I start to imagine that I am in the worst possible situation, surrounded by the darkest darkness imaginable, and completely denied of the use of every member and capacity of my body.
It is most fortunate that since Reason is unable to dispel these clouds, Nature herself suffices to that purpose, and cures me of this philosophical melancholy and delirium, either by relaxing this bent of mind, or by some avocation, and lively impression of my senses, which obliterate all of these chimaeras. This cures me of this philosophical melancholy and delirium, either by relaxing this bent of mind, or by relaxing this bent of mind, or by some lively When I’m with my pals, we eat, I challenge them to a game of backgammon, we chat, and we enjoy ourselves. And when I would return to these musings after three or four hours of entertainment, they would look to be so cold, strained, and absurd that I could not find it in my heart to enter into them any further.