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David Hume

Other
Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty.
From Of the Standard of Taste and Other Essays
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
How can we satisfy ourselves without going on in infinitum? And, after all, what satisfaction is there in that infinite progression? Let us remember the story of the Indian philosopher and his elephant. It was never more applicable than to the present subject. If the material world rests upon a similar ideal world, this ideal world must rest upon some other; and so on, without end. It were better, therefore, never to look beyond the present material world.
From Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
When anyone tells me that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself whether it be more probable that this person should either deceive or be deceived or that the fact which he relates should really have happened. I weigh the one miracle against the other and according to the superiority which I discover, I pronounce my decision. Always I reject the greater miracle. If the falsehood of his testimony would be more miraculous than the event which he relates, then and not till then, can he pretend to command my belief or opinion.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
To be a philosophical Sceptic is the first and most essential step towards being a sound, believing Christian.
From Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion / The Natural History of Religion
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Here then we are first to consider a book, presented to us by a barbarous and ignorant people, written in an age when they were still more barbarous, and in all probability long after the facts which it relates, corroborated by no concurring testimony, and resembling those fabulous accounts, which every nation gives of its origin.
From An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them.
…'Tis not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
It is not from the value or worth of the object which any person pursues, that we can determine his enjoyment, but merely from the passion with which he pursues it, and the success which he meets with in his pursuit. Objects have absolutely no worth or value in themselves. They derive their worth merely from the passion. If that be strong and steady, and successful, the person is happy. It cannot reasonably be doubted, but a little miss, dressed in a new gown for a dancing-school ball, receives as complete enjoyment as the greatest orator, who triumphs in the splendour of his eloquence, while he governs the passions and resolutions of a numerous assembly.
From On Suicide
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Success
Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.
From A Treatise of Human Nature
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical, Religion
No man ever threw away life while it was worth keeping.
From Essays on Suicide and the Immortality of the Soul
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Death, Inspirational, Life
Stercus accidit.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Indulge your passion for science…but let your science be human, and such as may have a direct reference to action and society. Be a philosopher; but amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
From An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty.
From Of the Standard of Taste and Other Essays
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
How can we satisfy ourselves without going on in infinitum? And, after all, what satisfaction is there in that infinite progression? Let us remember the story of the Indian philosopher and his elephant. It was never more applicable than to the present subject. If the material world rests upon a similar ideal world, this ideal world must rest upon some other; and so on, without end. It were better, therefore, never to look beyond the present material world.
From Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
When anyone tells me that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself whether it be more probable that this person should either deceive or be deceived or that the fact which he relates should really have happened. I weigh the one miracle against the other and according to the superiority which I discover, I pronounce my decision. Always I reject the greater miracle. If the falsehood of his testimony would be more miraculous than the event which he relates, then and not till then, can he pretend to command my belief or opinion.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
To be a philosophical Sceptic is the first and most essential step towards being a sound, believing Christian.
From Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion / The Natural History of Religion
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Here then we are first to consider a book, presented to us by a barbarous and ignorant people, written in an age when they were still more barbarous, and in all probability long after the facts which it relates, corroborated by no concurring testimony, and resembling those fabulous accounts, which every nation gives of its origin.
From An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them.
…'Tis not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
It is not from the value or worth of the object which any person pursues, that we can determine his enjoyment, but merely from the passion with which he pursues it, and the success which he meets with in his pursuit. Objects have absolutely no worth or value in themselves. They derive their worth merely from the passion. If that be strong and steady, and successful, the person is happy. It cannot reasonably be doubted, but a little miss, dressed in a new gown for a dancing-school ball, receives as complete enjoyment as the greatest orator, who triumphs in the splendour of his eloquence, while he governs the passions and resolutions of a numerous assembly.
From On Suicide
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Success
Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.
From A Treatise of Human Nature
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical, Religion
No man ever threw away life while it was worth keeping.
From Essays on Suicide and the Immortality of the Soul
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Death, Inspirational, Life
Stercus accidit.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Indulge your passion for science…but let your science be human, and such as may have a direct reference to action and society. Be a philosopher; but amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
From An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty.
From Of the Standard of Taste and Other Essays
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
How can we satisfy ourselves without going on in infinitum? And, after all, what satisfaction is there in that infinite progression? Let us remember the story of the Indian philosopher and his elephant. It was never more applicable than to the present subject. If the material world rests upon a similar ideal world, this ideal world must rest upon some other; and so on, without end. It were better, therefore, never to look beyond the present material world.
From Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
When anyone tells me that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself whether it be more probable that this person should either deceive or be deceived or that the fact which he relates should really have happened. I weigh the one miracle against the other and according to the superiority which I discover, I pronounce my decision. Always I reject the greater miracle. If the falsehood of his testimony would be more miraculous than the event which he relates, then and not till then, can he pretend to command my belief or opinion.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
To be a philosophical Sceptic is the first and most essential step towards being a sound, believing Christian.
From Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion / The Natural History of Religion
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Here then we are first to consider a book, presented to us by a barbarous and ignorant people, written in an age when they were still more barbarous, and in all probability long after the facts which it relates, corroborated by no concurring testimony, and resembling those fabulous accounts, which every nation gives of its origin.
From An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them.
…'Tis not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
It is not from the value or worth of the object which any person pursues, that we can determine his enjoyment, but merely from the passion with which he pursues it, and the success which he meets with in his pursuit. Objects have absolutely no worth or value in themselves. They derive their worth merely from the passion. If that be strong and steady, and successful, the person is happy. It cannot reasonably be doubted, but a little miss, dressed in a new gown for a dancing-school ball, receives as complete enjoyment as the greatest orator, who triumphs in the splendour of his eloquence, while he governs the passions and resolutions of a numerous assembly.
From On Suicide
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Success
Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.
From A Treatise of Human Nature
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical, Religion
No man ever threw away life while it was worth keeping.
From Essays on Suicide and the Immortality of the Soul
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Death, Inspirational, Life
Stercus accidit.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Religion
Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Indulge your passion for science…but let your science be human, and such as may have a direct reference to action and society. Be a philosopher; but amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
From An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical