david hume

“ When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities. ”

“ A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence. ”

“ To consider the matter aright, reason is nothing but a wonderful and unintelligible instinct in our souls, which carries us along a certain train of ideas, and endows them with particular qualities. ”

“ Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Natural Religion, are in some measure dependent on the science of man; since they lie under the cognizance of men, and are judged of by their powers and faculties. ”

“ Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous. ”

“ Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions. ”

“ Accuracy is, in every case, advantageous to beauty, and just reasoning to delicate sentiment. In vain would we exalt the one by depreciating the other. ”

“ The great end of all human industry is the attainment of happiness. ”

“ The memory, senses, and understanding are, therefore, all of them founded on the imagination, or the vivacity of our ideas. ”

“ We speak not strictly and philosophically when we talk of the combat of passion and of reason. ”