Inconsistencies in Hume's Empirical Thought

2250 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: david hume's empiricism

Inconsistencies in Hume's Empirical Thought In his Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, David Hume attempts to uncover the ultimate truth about where our knowledge comes from. This leads him to suggest that all our ideas and knowledge arise from outward experiences and sensations. He attempts to prove this by solving the "problem of induction." I disagree with Hume's ideas, and in this essay I will explain why. I shall begin by explaining the problem of induction, and the sceptical doubts Hume raises concerning the inductive process. I will then explain how Hume solves the problem. Finally, I will conclude by offering a critique of Hume's doctrine, and explain why I find it to be inconsistent. In order to understand Hume's problem of induction, it is first necessary to understand the principles upon which it stands. At the outset of his work, Hume declares that "all our ideas or more feeble perceptions are copies of our impressions or more lively ones."1 He justifies this statement by two arguments. Firstly, he analyzes the roots of our knowledge, and discerns that all knowledge has its origins in "a precedent feeling or sentiment"2 To Hume, even the idea of God is derrived from a prior sensation. He argues that we can have an idea of God simply by augmenting our ideas of wisdom and goodness. Essentially, we can multiply the goodness that we sense or experience up to infinity, in order to have an idea of God. Secondly, Hume states that all knowledge must come from sensations. To illustrate this, he uses the example of a blind man. A blind man will have no idea or impression of the colour blue. Since he has never seen blue, let alone colour, there is no possible way for him to know what blue is. Thu... ... middle of paper ... ...tions, Iran; [no date available] Steinberg, Eric [ed]. David Hume: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Second Edition. Hackett Publishing Company, Indianapolis; 1977 De Sousa, Ronnie. http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~sousa/PHL100/hume1.html As of Friday April 9th. De Sousa, Ronnie. http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~sousa/PHL100/hume1.html As of Friday April 9th. 1 Steinberg, Eric [ed.] David Hume: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. P. 11 2 Ibid. P. 11 3 Ibid. P. 14 4 Ibid. P. 15 5 Hume must be referring to a perfect 360-degree circle or 180-degree triangle 6 Ibid. P. 15 7 Ibid. P. 16 8 Ibid. P. 16 9 Ibid. P. 17 10 Ibid. P. 19 11 Ibid. P. 21 12 I'm assuming here that no one has been able to sustain self-propelled flight. 13 As-Sadr, Muhammad Baqir. Our Philosophy. P. 52

Show More
Related

  • Critique of Hume's Analysis of Causality

    3300 Words  | 7 Pages

    Hume's analyses of human apprehension and of causality were the most penetrating up to his time and continue to have great influence. Contemporary Spanish philosopher Xavier Zubiri (1893-1983) has examined both and identified three underlying errors: (1) the failure to recognize that there are three stages of human intellection, and especially that the first, primordial apprehension, has quite unique characteristics; (2) the attempt to place an excessive burden on the content of impressions while ignoring what Zubiri terms their 'formality of reality'; and (3) the failure to recognize that functionality, not causality, is the basis for most of our knowledge. Causal chains in general cannot be adequately known, and therefore are not and cannot be the basis of our knowledge of the external world. Only in the area of persons and morality does causality play a critical role.

    Read More

  • Rene Descartes Rationalism Analysis

    159 Words  | 1 Pages

    Regardless of the disagreement between both schools of philosophy that Rene Descartes and David Hume founded, Descartes’s rationalism and Hume’s empiricism set the tone for skepticism regarding knowledge. Rene Descartes rationalism served to form a solid foundation for true knowledge. Although Descartes reaches an illogical conclusion, his rationalism was meant to solve life’s problem by trusting and using the mind. David Hume’s empiricism serves to be the true blueprint on how humans experience the mind. Hume’s empiricism shows that the world only observes the world through their own sense and that there are no a priori truths. For that reason it became clearer that David Hume’s empiricism explains and demonstrates that it is the better way

    Read More

  • Argument of the Hume's Response to the Missing Shade of Blue

    1260 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this essay, I will argue that Hume’s response to the “missing shade of blue” example is satisfactory. Firstly, I shall explain Hume’s account of the relationship between impressions and ideas and the copy principle. I shall then examine the “missing shade of blue” and its relation to this account. I shall then explore Hume’s response to his own counter-example and evaluate his position by considering possible objections and responses to his view. I shall then show why Hume’s response to the “missing shade of blue” example is satisfactory.

    Read More

  • Human Nature as Viewed by Thomas Hobbes and David Hume

    1952 Words  | 4 Pages

    Available at: http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/thomas_hobbes/leviathan.html Hume, David, 1772 (reprinted in 2004) An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (New York, Barnes and Noble)

    Read More

  • Psychological Continuity Theory: The Persistence Of A Personal Identity

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    His claim is that the mind is merely a bundle of perceptions that derive ultimately from sensory inputs or impressions. He follows on to say that ideas are reflections of these perceptions, or to be more precise, perceptions of perceptions, therefore can still be traced back to an original sensory input. Hume applied this logic to the perception of a ‘self’, to which he could not trace back to any sensory input, the result was paradoxical, thus he concluded that “there is no simplicity in (the mind) at one time, nor identity in different; whatever natural propension we might have to imagine that simplicity and

    Read More

  • Innateness In David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    In David Hume’s “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding”, he proposes two types of human enquiry: relations of ideas and matters of fact. The two common examples that represent the two enquiries are mathematics and science. Hume argues that people who rely on induction - cause and effect to perceive the world have no understanding of it since there does not exist any justification for them to believe in induction at the first place.

    Read More

  • David Hume Problem Of Induction

    1394 Words  | 3 Pages

    As humans, a crucial way we attempt to understand how the world around us works is by using previous experiences or evidence from our senses to make predictions about the future. However, how do we know that these predictions are accurate? How are we supposed to know whether future observations and experiences will resemble those of the past? In this essay, I plan to explain what induction is and Hume’s “Problem of Induction”: how he thinks that our beliefs about the future that are based on the past are unjustified. After that, I will present two arguments that he offers against his Problem of Induction, and show how they fail in counterarguing his claim.

    Read More

  • Immanuel Kant's Analysis

    1486 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hume’s discussion of God in An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding does not explicitly state whether or not God exists, his idea of God is also one based on Him being infinite, good, and intelligent as well. Hume’s discussion of the idea of God, “arises from reflecting on the operations of our own mind, and augmenting” His qualities. The idea of God with all his attributes is thus one based on copies of sentiments or feelings. After all, ideas come from sense perception. Yet, one cannot have a sense impression of God, since He is a metaphysical idea. He therefore does not

    Read More

  • A Humean Critique of Descartes

    2570 Words  | 6 Pages

    Hume, David (1711-1776). An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Ed. Eric Steinberg. 2nd Ed. United States: Hackett Publishing Company Inc., 1993.

    Read More

  • Cause and Effect in David Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    In An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, David Hume states, “there is not, in any single, particular instance of cause and effect, any thing which can suggest the idea of power or necessary connexion” (Hume, 1993: 41). Hume establishes in section II that all ideas originate from impressions that employ the senses (11). Therefore, in order for there to be an idea of power or “necessary connexion,” there must be impressions of this connection present in single instances of cause and effect; if there are no such impressions, then there cannot be an idea of “necessary connexion” (52). To illustrate his statement, Hume examines four situations: bodies interacting in the world, mind causing actions of the body, mind causing ideas of ideas, and God as the source of power. I will highlight Hume’s reasons and outline his arguments to establish that there is no “connexion” between cause and effect on the basis of single instances.

    Read More

  • David Hume Problem Of Induction Essay

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this paper, I will discuss Hume’s “problem of induction,” his solution to the problem, and whether or not his solution to the problem is correct. In David Hume 's 'An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding ', Hume states that no actual proof exists to suggest that future occurrences will happen the way previous occurrences did. His solution to this “problem of induction” is that our beliefs about cause and effect are based out of pure habit of thought that we have become accustomed to. It is my belief that his solution is correct even if it does bring into question how we seemingly “reason” things with experience in our everyday lives.

    Read More

  • Philosophy of the Mind

    1337 Words  | 3 Pages

    David Hume is a very famous philosopher for the methods that he takes to attack certain objects that he has a strong opinion on. He is the type of philosopher that will attack some of the simple things that we accept as humans and have grown to believe over time. He questions the validity of these arguments in regards to the methods that one took to arrive at their desired conclusions. He most notably takes a deeper look into induction and generalization. Induction is basically moving from some type of fact to formulate a specific conclusion about something. Generalization, on the other hand, is making broad assumptions on things usually with insufficient evidence. These two distinct points are the basis of David Hume’s argument expressed in, “An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding.” The main question that he poses is whether inductive reasoning overall can lead one to gain knowledge.

    Read More

  • Philosophy on education

    504 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every educator has their own thoughts and ideas about education, educational processes, and what they feel is the best way to educate students of today and tomorrow. These philosophies are built on the individual’s personal experiences and beliefs. My philosophy is like that of many new teachers, eclectic. There are ideas of many philosophies that I agree with and just as many that I disagree with. Teachers are as diverse as the students they teach. I believe that it takes a combination of several philosophies to reach each student in a classroom.

    Read More

  • My Philosophy of Education

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    Becoming a teacher has always been one of my goals in life. What motivates me to become a teacher is that I love to help and teach children new things in life. I try to do this in a very unique way. I love to see kids happy. I think that being a teacher is a very rewarding job. Teachers should try to teach their students new things with a positive attitude, with enthusiasm and interest. Giving more attention to students of younger ages is especially important. It is a good feeling to see students become knowledgeable in all aspects and to prepare students to be successful for the good of society.

    Read More

  • Teaching - A Way to Make a Difference

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    Teachers should be nontraditional, but still have traditional values. We as professionals should keep learning and to make learning exciting no matter what philosophy or theory we use. We are there to enrich the students’ life, to make learning exciting.

    Read More

More about Inconsistencies in Hume's Empirical Thought

Open Document