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Single Idea 2236
[filed under theme 13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 3. Illusion Scepticism
]
Full Idea
Trite sceptical examples, such as the oar bent in water, or double images when the eye is pressed, are only sufficient to prove that senses alone are not dependable, but we must correct their evidence with reason.
Gist of Idea
Examples of illusion only show that sense experience needs correction by reason
Source
David Hume (Enquiry Conc Human Understanding [1748], XII.I.117)
Book Ref
Hume,David: 'Enquiries Conc. Human Understanding, Morals', ed/tr. Selby-Bigge/Nidditch [OUP 1975], p.151
The
85 ideas
from 'Enquiry Conc Human Understanding'
3661
|
'Natural beliefs' are unavoidable, whatever our judgements
[Hume, by Strawson,G]
|
3902
|
Hume mistakenly lumps sensations and perceptions together as 'impressions'
[Scruton on Hume]
|
6350
|
Premises can support an argument without entailing it
[Pollock/Cruz on Hume]
|
8344
|
At first Hume said qualities are the causal entities, but later he said events
[Hume, by Davidson]
|
15249
|
Hume never shows how a strong habit could generate the concept of necessity
[Harré/Madden on Hume]
|
8339
|
Hume's regularity theory of causation is epistemological; he believed in some sort of natural necessity
[Hume, by Strawson,G]
|
4636
|
All reasoning concerning matters of fact is based on analogy (with similar results of similar causes)
[Hume]
|
13602
|
We cannot form an idea of a 'power', and the word is without meaning
[Hume]
|
8422
|
Cause is where if the first object had not been, the second had not existed
[Hume]
|
17712
|
General ideas are the connection by resemblance to some particular
[Hume]
|
2182
|
Impressions are our livelier perceptions, Ideas the less lively ones
[Hume]
|
23631
|
Hume is loose when he says perceptions of different strength are different species
[Reid on Hume]
|
2184
|
All ideas are copies of impressions
[Hume]
|
2183
|
We can only invent a golden mountain by combining experiences
[Hume]
|
2185
|
The idea of an infinite, intelligent, wise and good God arises from augmenting the best qualities of our own minds
[Hume]
|
2186
|
We cannot form the idea of something we haven't experienced
[Hume]
|
23421
|
If a person had a gap in their experience of blue shades, they could imaginatively fill it in
[Hume]
|
2187
|
If we suspect that a philosophical term is meaningless, we should ask what impression it derives from
[Hume]
|
2189
|
All ideas are connected by Resemblance, Contiguity in time or place, and Cause and Effect
[Hume]
|
3662
|
Hume says we can only know constant conjunctions, not that that's what causation IS
[Hume, by Strawson,G]
|
2191
|
Relations of ideas are known by thought, independently from the world
[Hume]
|
2190
|
All objects of enquiry are Relations of Ideas, or Matters of Fact
[Hume]
|
2192
|
All reasoning about facts is causal; nothing else goes beyond memory and senses
[Hume]
|
2194
|
How could Adam predict he would drown in water or burn in fire?
[Hume]
|
2193
|
No causes can be known a priori, but only from experience of constant conjunctions
[Hume]
|
2196
|
The observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy
[Hume]
|
2195
|
We can discover some laws of nature, but never its ultimate principles and causes
[Hume]
|
2197
|
Reason assists experience in discovering laws, and in measuring their application
[Hume]
|
2198
|
We assume similar secret powers behind similar experiences, such as the nourishment of bread
[Hume]
|
3598
|
Hume just shows induction isn't deduction
[Williams,M on Hume]
|
2199
|
Reason cannot show why reliable past experience should extend to future times and remote places
[Hume]
|
2200
|
All experimental conclusions assume that the future will be like the past
[Hume]
|
2702
|
Only madmen dispute the authority of experience
[Hume]
|
2201
|
Induction can't prove that the future will be like the past, since induction assumes this
[Hume]
|
2202
|
Fools, children and animals all learn from experience
[Hume]
|
2204
|
All inferences from experience are effects of custom, not reasoning
[Hume]
|
2203
|
If we infer causes from repetition, this explains why we infer from a thousand objects what we couldn't infer from one
[Hume]
|
2205
|
You couldn't reason at all if you lacked experience
[Hume]
|
2206
|
Reasons for belief must eventually terminate in experience, or they are without foundation
[Hume]
|
2207
|
Belief can't be a concept plus an idea, or we could add the idea to fictions
[Hume]
|
2208
|
Belief is just a particular feeling attached to ideas of objects
[Hume]
|
2209
|
Belief is stronger, clearer and steadier than imagination
[Hume]
|
2210
|
A picture of a friend strengthens our idea of him, by resemblance
[Hume]
|
8544
|
Hume does not distinguish real resemblances among degrees of resemblance
[Shoemaker on Hume]
|
2211
|
When I am close to (contiguous with) home, I feel its presence more nearly
[Hume]
|
2212
|
An object made by a saint is the best way to produce thoughts of him
[Hume]
|
2213
|
Beliefs are built up by resemblance, contiguity and causation
[Hume]
|
2214
|
Our awareness of patterns of causation is too important to be left to slow and uncertain reasoning
[Hume]
|
2215
|
There is no such thing as chance
[Hume]
|
2216
|
We transfer the frequency of past observations to our future predictions
[Hume]
|
8341
|
Hume never even suggests that there is no such thing as causation
[Hume, by Strawson,G]
|
2217
|
When definitions are pushed to the limit, only experience can make them precise
[Hume]
|
2218
|
In observing causes we can never observe any necessary connections or binding qualities
[Hume]
|
2220
|
Only experience teaches us about our wills
[Hume]
|
4771
|
In both of Hume's definitions, causation is extrinsic to the sequence of events
[Psillos on Hume]
|
5194
|
Hume's definition of cause as constantly joined thoughts can't cover undiscovered laws
[Ayer on Hume]
|
2221
|
A cause is either similar events following one another, or an experience always suggesting a second experience
[Hume]
|
2222
|
The doctrine of free will arises from a false sensation we have of freedom in many actions
[Hume]
|
2223
|
Liberty is merely acting according to the will, which anyone can do if they are not in chains
[Hume]
|
2224
|
Praise and blame can only be given if an action proceeds from a person's character and disposition
[Hume]
|
2225
|
If you deny all necessity and causation, then our character is not responsible for our crime
[Hume]
|
2226
|
Repentance gets rid of guilt, which shows that responsibility arose from the criminal principles in the mind
[Hume]
|
3655
|
Hume makes determinism less rigid by removing the necessity from causation
[Trusted on Hume]
|
10328
|
We think testimony matches reality because of experience, not some a priori connection
[Hume]
|
2227
|
A miracle violates laws which have been established by continuous unchanging experience, so should be ignored
[Hume]
|
2228
|
All experience must be against a supposed miracle, or it wouldn't be called 'a miracle'
[Hume]
|
2229
|
To establish a miracle the falseness of the evidence must be a greater miracle than the claimed miraculous event
[Hume]
|
2230
|
Good testimony needs education, integrity, motive and agreement
[Hume, by PG]
|
2232
|
You can't infer the cause to be any greater than its effect
[Hume]
|
2233
|
No government has ever suffered by being too tolerant of philosophy
[Hume]
|
4772
|
If a singular effect is studied, its cause can only be inferred from the types of events involved
[Hume]
|
2234
|
It is only when two species of thing are constantly conjoined that we can infer one from the other
[Hume]
|
2235
|
There is no certain supreme principle, or infallible rule of inference
[Hume]
|
2237
|
It never occurs to people that they only experience representations, not the real objects
[Hume]
|
2236
|
Examples of illusion only show that sense experience needs correction by reason
[Hume]
|
2238
|
Reason can never show that experiences are connected to external objects
[Hume]
|
2239
|
If secondary qualities (e.g. hardness) are in the mind, so are primary qualities like extension
[Hume]
|
7700
|
We can't think about the abstract idea of triangles, but only of particular triangles
[Hume]
|
2240
|
It is a very extravagant aim of the sceptics to destroy reason and argument by means of reason and argument
[Hume]
|
2241
|
The main objection to scepticism is that no good can come of it
[Hume]
|
2242
|
Mitigated scepticism draws attention to the limitations of human reason, and encourages modesty
[Hume]
|
2243
|
Mitigated scepticism sensibly confines our enquiries to the narrow capacity of human understanding
[Hume]
|
2246
|
If books don't relate ideas or explain facts, commit them to the flames
[Hume]
|
2245
|
A priori it looks as if a cause could have absolutely any effect
[Hume]
|
2244
|
It can never be a logical contradiction to assert the non-existence of something thought to exist
[Hume]
|