David Hume
David Hume
David Hume– 25 August 1776) or David Homewas a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, who is best known today for his highly influential system of radical philosophical empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth7 May 1711
taste truth-is humans
Truth is disputable, not human taste.
art kitsch taste
Kitsch is: a species of beauty, which, as it is florid and superficial, pleases at first; but soon palls upon the taste, and is rejected with disdain, at least rated at much lower value.
understanding criticism taste
Morals and criticism are not so properly objects of the understanding as of taste and sentiment.
passion delicacy taste
Delicacy of taste has the same effect as delicacy of passion; it enlarges the sphere both of our happiness and our misery.
taste painting study
Nothing is so improving to the temper as the study of the beauties either of poetry, eloquence, music, or painting.
incapable poor principles
The slaving poor are incapable of any principles
avenues either esteemed leads life mankind open path remove science sweetest whoever
The sweetest and most inoffensive path of life leads through the avenues of science and learning; and whoever can either remove any obstruction in this way, or open up any new prospect, ought, so far, to be esteemed a benefactor to mankind
custom great guide human
Custom, then, is the great guide of human life.
affairs appears consider ease few governed human surprising
Nothing appears more surprising to those who consider human affairs with a philosophical eye, than the ease with which the many are governed by the few
healing start takes together
It's when we start working together that the real healing takes place, ... It's when we start spilling our sweat, and not our blood.
character government law
How could politics be a science, if laws and forms of government had not a uniform influence upon society? Where would be the foundation of morals, if particular characters had no certain or determinate power to produce particular sentiments, and if these sentiments had no constant operation on actions?
beauty reflection mind
If the contemplation, even of inanimate beauty, is so delightful; if it ravishes the senses, even when the fair form is foreign tous: What must be the effects of moral beauty? And what influence must it have, when it embellishes our own mind, and is the result of our own reflection and industry?
doubt religion mystery
The whole [of religion] is a riddle, an ænigma, an inexplicable mystery. Doubt, uncertainty, suspence of judgment appear the onlyresult of our most accurate scrutiny, concerning this subject.
spring intelligent secret
Every disastrous accident alarms us, and sets us on enquiries concerning the principles whence it arose: Apprehensions spring up with regard to futurity: And the mind, sunk into diffidence, terror, and melancholy, has recourse to every method of appeasing those secret intelligent powers, on whom our fortune is supposed entirely to depend.