Single Idea 21298

[catalogued under 16. Persons / E. Rejecting the Self / 4. Denial of the Self]

Full Idea

We feign the continued existence of the perceptions of our senses, to remove their interruption; and run into the notion of a soul, and self, and substance, to disguise the variation.

Gist of Idea

We pretend our perceptions are continuous, and imagine a self to fill the gaps

Source

David Hume (Treatise of Human Nature [1739], I.IV.6)

Book Reference

Hume,David: 'A Treatise of Human Nature', ed/tr. Selby-Bigge/Nidditch [OUP 1978], p.254


A Reaction

Modern neuroscience (according to Dennett) endorses this, because the brain continually fills in gaps in experience (as it fills in the blindspot during normal vision).