"Hume's philosophy, whether true or false, represents the bankruptcy of eighteenth-century reasonableness. He starts out, like Locke, with the intention of being sensible and empirical, taking nothing on trust, but seeking whatever instruction is to be obtained from experience and observation. But having a better intellect than Locke's, a greater acuteness in analysis, and a smaller capacity for accepting comfortable inconsistencies, he arrives at the disastrous conclusion that from experience and observation nothing is to be learnt. There is no such thing as a rational belief... We cannot help believing, but no belief can be grounded in reason. Nor can one line of action be more rational than another, since all alike are based upon irrational convictions. This last conclusion, however, Hume seems not to have drawn... It was inevitable that such a self-refutation of rationality should be followed by a great outburst of irrational faith. The quarrel between Hume and Rousseau is symbolic: Rousseau was mad but influential; Hume was sane but had no followers."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Atheism activistsPeople from EdinburghAcademics from ScotlandPhilosophers from ScotlandHistorians from Scotland
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Bertrand Russell; A History of Western Philosophy, Book Three, Part I, Chapter 17. Hume
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/David_Hume
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
David Hume
1711 – 1776
schottischer Philosoph, Ökonom und Historiker
168 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by David Hume →
Related Quotes
"It cam’ wi’ a lass, it will gang wi’ a lass."
"All our obligations to do good to society seem to involve doing something in return: I get the benefits of society, s…"
"If suicide is a crime, only cowardice can drive us to it. If it is not a crime, both prudence and courage should lead…"
"Suicide can often be consistent with self-interest and with one’s duty to oneself; this can’t be questioned by anyone…"
"Observe, too, says Philo, the curious artifices of nature, in order to embitter the life of every living being. The s…"
"The whole earth, believe me ... is cursed and polluted. A perpetual war is kindled amongst all living creatures. Nece…"
"The first circumstance which introduces evil, is that contrivance or economy of the animal creation, by which pains, …"
"The conclusion [of the essay 'Of the Protestant Succession'] shows me a Whig, but a very sceptical one."
"The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster."
"With regard to politics and the character of princes and great men, I think I am very moderate. My views of things ar…"