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David Hume (1711-1776)

Revised, 11/21/03. David Hume (1711-1776). An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Anthem1. Anthem2. 1. Sensation & the Origin of Ideas.

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David Hume (1711-1776)

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  1. Revised, 11/21/03 David Hume(1711-1776) An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding

  2. Anthem1 Anthem2

  3. 1. Sensation & the Origin of Ideas • The contents of the mind: (1) ideas & (2) impressions (sensations & feelings) -- Ideas (concepts, beliefs, memories, mental images, etc.) are faint & unclear; impressions are strong & vivid. • Ideas are derived from impressions: All ideas are copies of impressions. • The meaning of ideas depends on impressions

  4. The empirical criterion of meaning "From what impression is that alleged idea derived?" No impression, no meaning? No impression, no foundation in reality?

  5. The Nature & Limits of Human Knowledge

  6. Two kinds of ideas(or judgments) "All the objects of human reason or inquiry may naturally be divided into two kinds: relations of ideas and matters of fact". "Hume's Fork"

  7. Judgments concerning relations of ideas Ideas ("Hume's Fork") Judgments concerning matters of fact

  8. Judgments concerning relations of ideas • Intuitively or demonstrably certain • Discoverable by thought alone [a priori] • Cannot be denied without contradiction *Hume's examples: Pythagorean Theorem or 3 x 5 = 30  2

  9. The Pythagorean Theorem On a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides 5' 4' (hypotenuse) 32 + 42 = 52 (9 + 16 = 25) 3'

  10. Judgments concerning matters of fact • "Every judgment concerning matters of fact can be denied without contradiction" (e.g., "the sun will not rise tomorrow"). • Neither intuitively nor demonstrably certain • Not discoverable by thought alone [a priori], but rather on the basis of sense experience [a posteriori] More specifically,

  11. All judgments concerning matters of fact are based on . . . . the more fundamental] belief that there is "a tie or connection" between cause & effect.

  12. And why do we believe that there is a "tie or connection" between cause & effect? Answer: The belief arises entirely from experience [a posteriori, not a priori], namely, the experience of finding that two events (cause & effect) are "constantly conjoined" with each other.

  13. It is not logically necessary that a particular effect follows a particular cause; it is just a fact of experience. This view leads to Hume's discussion of . . . .

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