Single Idea 15269

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 2. Associationism]

Full Idea

The Humean event, the impression, basic to his epistemology, is, as we have seen, instantaneous in nature, punctiform and elemenentary, and from this characterisation follows its atomicity, its lack of internal connections with anything else.

Clarification

'Puntiform' means pointlike

Gist of Idea

Humean impressions are too instantaneous and simple to have structure or relations

Source

Harré,R./Madden,E.H. (Causal Powers [1975], 6.IV)

Book Reference

Harré,R/Madden,E.H.: 'Causal Powers: A Theory of Natural Necessity' [Blackwell 1975], p.110


A Reaction

This simple point about Humean associationism is the key to grasping the whole hideous worldview that has gripped twentieth century philosophy. How many impressions make up an apple? And why do they sum to make something?