more from David Hume

Single Idea 8422

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / c. Counterfactual causation]

Full Idea

We may define a cause to be where .....if the first object had not been, the second never had existed.

Gist of Idea

Cause is where if the first object had not been, the second had not existed

Source

David Hume (Enquiry Conc Human Understanding [1748], 7.2.60)

Book Reference

Hume,David: 'Enquiries Conc. Human Understanding, Morals', ed/tr. Selby-Bigge/Nidditch [OUP 1975], p.77


A Reaction

This is Hume's second definition, cited by Lewis as the ancestor of his counterfactual theory. It feels all wrong to me. 'If there had been no window, there would have been no window-breakage'?