Single Idea 2214

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 9. Perceiving Causation]

Full Idea

Our inference of like effects from like causes is so essential to the subsistence of human creatures that it is unlikely to be trusted to the fallacious deductions of reasoning, which are slow, develop late, and are liable to error.

Gist of Idea

Our awareness of patterns of causation is too important to be left to slow and uncertain reasoning

Source

David Hume (Enquiry Conc Human Understanding [1748], V.II.45)

Book Reference

Hume,David: 'Enquiries Conc. Human Understanding, Morals', ed/tr. Selby-Bigge/Nidditch [OUP 1975], p.55