10/19/2015 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 1 Hume I Charles Manekin

04/20/2304/20/23 Modern Philosophy PHIL320Modern Philosophy PHIL320 11

Hume IHume I

Charles ManekinCharles Manekin


Topics of DiscussionTopics of Discussion

Life and WorksLife and Works On the Two Species of PhilosophyOn the Two Species of Philosophy Perceptions, Impressions and IdeasPerceptions, Impressions and Ideas Empiricist Theory of MeaningEmpiricist Theory of Meaning Association of IdeasAssociation of Ideas


Life and WorksLife and Works

Born in Edinburgh on April 26, 1711. Family land-owning, though not

independently wealthy. Nervous breakdown in 1729, abandons

philosophy, retreats to France, takes it up again, composes Treatise on Human Nature, “which fell deadborn from the press, without reaching such distinction as even to excite a murmur among the Zealots.”


Life and WorksLife and Works

Hume returned to Scotland, began to write Hume returned to Scotland, began to write “lighter” essays that won him a certain degree of “lighter” essays that won him a certain degree of literary fame.literary fame.

He was rejected for Professorship of Moral He was rejected for Professorship of Moral Philosophy and Pneumatology at University of Philosophy and Pneumatology at University of Edinburgh because of alleged atheist and Edinburgh because of alleged atheist and skeptical tendencies.skeptical tendencies.

1745 – Tutor to the Marquess of Anandale1745 – Tutor to the Marquess of Anandale Secretary to General St. Clair’s in Expedition to Secretary to General St. Clair’s in Expedition to

Canada (French Canadian War)Canada (French Canadian War) Accompanies general to Vienna and Turin, writes Accompanies general to Vienna and Turin, writes

First Enquity, originally Essays.”First Enquity, originally Essays.”


Relation of Enquiry and TreatiseRelation of Enquiry and Treatise

Advertisement: “Henceforth, the Author desires, that the following Pieces may alone be regarded as containing his philosophical sentiments and principles.”

Should the above be taken seriously?


Of the Different Species of Of the Different Species of PhilosophyPhilosophy

“Moral philosophy, or the science of human nature, may be treated after two different manners.”

• Practical vs. Theoretical.• Man fo action vs. Man of Reason.• Where does Hume stand?

First species: Moral philosophy as attempting to improve human morals. Poetry, novels, literature, fables.

Second species: Moral philosophy as attempting to understand human nature.


The Defence of the Second The Defence of the Second SpeciesSpecies

Accurate and abstract philosophy serves Accurate and abstract philosophy serves the easy and humane (anatomy and the easy and humane (anatomy and painting.)painting.)

The importance of science for technology The importance of science for technology and human endeavors. and human endeavors.

The criticism of philosophy and The criticism of philosophy and metaphysics – that it goes where human metaphysics – that it goes where human reason must not go.reason must not go.

The importance of delineating the geography of The importance of delineating the geography of the mind, its faculties and powers.the mind, its faculties and powers.

Perhaps the source of the these faculties can be Perhaps the source of the these faculties can be found.found.


On the Origin of IdeasOn the Origin of Ideas

Perceptions divided into ideas and Perceptions divided into ideas and impressions.impressions.

What is the distinction between the What is the distinction between the two? “Force and vivacity”two? “Force and vivacity”

All ideas are copies of impressions.• The missing shade…

Note that impressions can be mental impressions, not just impressions of the external world.


Meaning and IdeaMeaning and Idea

Empiricist claim – all our ideas arise in antecedent impressions.

Ideas = meanings. To understand a term’s meaning, one requires to know what is the impression(s) on which it is based.

“When we entertain, therefore, any suspicion that a philosophical term is employed without any meaning or idea…we need but enquire from what impression is that supposed idea derived”

Innate: what is not copied from a previous perception. “All our impressions are innate, none of our ideas are innate.”


Association of IdeasAssociation of Ideas

Three Principles of association of ideas.• Resemblance• Contiguity in time or place• Cause or effect.

Examples


Skeptical Doubts About the Skeptical Doubts About the UnderstandingUnderstanding

Hume’s Fork • Relations of Ideas / Matters of Fact

Relations of Ideas are discovered by the a priori operations of the mind. The contradictory is inconceivable.• Note we are not talking about the relation of

ideas not qua mental images, but the relation of the content of the ideas. Relations between meanings, if you will.

• Mathematics and Geometry• What about “Mixed” Mathematics?


Skeptical Doubts About the Skeptical Doubts About the UnderstandingUnderstanding

“What is the nature of that evidence which assures us of our real existence and matter of fact beyond the present testimony of our senses and the records of our memory?”

Matters of fact are discovered by the evidence of experience, and rely on the belief in causality. Their contradictory is conceivable.

Cause and effects are discoverable not by reason but by experience• Two billiard ball examples

Ultimate causes may not be knowable:


Deeper Skeptical Doubts About the Deeper Skeptical Doubts About the UnderstandingUnderstanding

“What is the foundation of all conclusions from experience…I say that even after we have experience of the operations of cause and effect, our conclusions from experience are not founded on reasoning, or any process of the understanding.”

Conclusions drawn from experience are not rational demonstrations• This much is admitted by Aristotle• But in making inductions, the Aristotelians says that the

mind grasps the essences of things that necessitate their being the way they are.

• This is denied by Hume.


Deeper Skeptical Doubts About the Deeper Skeptical Doubts About the UnderstandingUnderstanding

So what is the basis of our making conclusions from experience?• Like causes produce like effects?• The future is conformable to the past?• But why do we believe in these maxims?

Surely there is no demonstration that the future will be the same as the past?


““Skeptical Solutions of These Skeptical Solutions of These Doubts”Doubts”

Note the title of the section – a defense of the positive value of skepticism.• Here, the skepticism is against dogmatic metaphysics, which bases the

causal relation on the principle of sufficient reason, or some metaphysical claim of that sort.

• Again, the stress on the practical value of knowing the limitations of reasoning.

What determines the mind to draw the conclusion in induction.• “Custom or Habit”• This explains why we draw the conclusion more confidently and firmly

after we have experienced 100 times rather than one. We are prone to draw the conclusion by a psychological propensity.

• All reasoning concerning matter of fact must terminate with testimony of the senses (or memory thereof). We are presented with such testimony, we are inclined to believe what follows from it; that inclination is born of habit, and the belief formed is not based on deductive “reasoning.”


Hume’s Account of BeliefHume’s Account of Belief

Locke: “Belief…is the admitting or receiving any proposition for true, upon arguments or proofs that are found to persuade us to receive it as true, without certain knowledge that it is so.”• Note the basis: “arguments or proofs”. This

emphasizes reason. Hume’s Description of Belief: “Nothing but

a more vivid, lively, forcible, firm, steady conception of an object”.• Belief as sentiment


Of ProbabilityOf Probability

Demonstrations: A priori reasoning Proofs: “Such arguments from

experience as leave no room for doubt or opposition”

Probability: Such argument from experience that are likely


The Idea of Necessary ConnectionThe Idea of Necessary Connection

“There are no ideas, which occur in metaphysics, more obscure and uncertain, than those of power, force, energy or necessary connexion, of which it is every moment necessary for us to treat in all our disquisitions. We shall, therefore, endeavour, in this section, to fix, if possible, the precise meaning of these terms “

Fix the meaning = (for Hume) find the antecedent impression.


Are Causes Observable in Nature?Are Causes Observable in Nature?

No. We observe events following other events, but we don’t observe causation; we infer causation.

Perhaps we have the idea of force or power (production) by an internal awareness of our operations?• No again; we only experience one

mental event following another.

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10/19/2015 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 1 Hume I Charles Manekin