Single Idea 5548

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 2. Types of Scepticism]

Full Idea

David Hume gave way entirely to scepticism, since he believed himself to have discovered in what is generally held to be reason a deception of our faculty of cognition.

Gist of Idea

Hume became a total sceptic, because he believed that reason was a deception

Source

report of David Hume (Treatise of Human Nature [1739]) by Immanuel Kant - Critique of Pure Reason B128

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Pure Reason', ed/tr. Guyer,P /Wood,A W [CUO 1998], p.226


A Reaction

Unfair to Hume, who was very opposed to global scepticism (see Ideas 2240 and 2241), and voted only for 'mitigated scepticism' (see Idea 2242). On the other hand, there is no greater opposition in philosophy than Kant and Hume on 'pure reason'.

Related Idea

Idea 2242 Mitigated scepticism draws attention to the limitations of human reason, and encourages modesty [Hume]