David Hume Quotes (75 Quotes)

Every wise, just, and mild government, by rendering the condition of its subjects easy and secure, will always abound most in people, as well as in commodities and riches.

Philosophy would render us entirely Pyrrhonian, were not nature too strong for it.

But I would still reply, that the knavery and folly of men are such common phenomena, that I should rather believe the most extraordinary events to arise from their concurrence, than admit of so signal a violation of the laws of nature

The law always limits every power it gives.

There is a very remarkable inclination in human nature to bestow on external objects the same emotions which it observes in itself, and to find every where those ideas which are most present to it.

All that belongs to human understanding, in this deep ignorance and obscurity, is to be skeptical, or at least cautious and not to admit of any hypothesis, whatsoever much less, of any which is supported by no appearance of probability.

Heaven and hell suppose two distinct species of men, the good and the bad. But the greatest part of mankind float betwixt vice and virtue.

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

The richest genius, like the most fertile soil, when uncultivated, shoots up into the rankest weeds.

He is happy whose circumstances suit his temper but he is more excellent who can suit his temper to any circumstances.

Human life is more governed by fortune than by reason.

The sweetest path of life leads through the avenues of learning, and whoever can open up the way for another, ought, so far, to be esteemed a benefactor to mankind.

It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once.

Upon the whole, then it seems undeniable, that nothing can bestow more merit on any human creature than the sentiment of benevolence in an eminent degree and that a part at least of its merit arises from its tendency to promote the interests of our

Even after the observation of the frequent conjunction of objects, we have no reason to draw any inference concerning any object beyond those of which we have had experience.

Belief is nothing but a more vivid, lively, forcible, firm, steady conception of an object, than what the imagination alone is ever able to attain.

It is a just political maxim, that every man must be supposed a knave.

Such is the nature of novelty that where anything pleases it becomes doubly agreeable if new but if it displeases, it is doubly displeasing on that very account

Avarice, the spur of industry.

I have written on all sorts of subjects... yet I have no enemies; except indeed all the Whigs, all the Tories, and all the Christians.

Human happiness seems to consist in three ingredients action, pleasure and indolence. And though these ingredients ought to be mixed in different proportions, according to the disposition of the person, yet no one ingredient can be entirely wanting without destroying in some measure the relish of the whole composition. composition.

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.

A propensity to hope and joy is real riches; one to fear and sorrow real poverty.

Men often act knowingly against their interest.

It is not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.

Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them.

In simple terms, the data shows that in mammals each individual gene uses multiple different mechanisms to produce different forms of protein. In a sense, each 'gene' is actually multiple different genes,

Everything in the world is purchased by labor.

No testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous than the fact which it endeavors to establish.

Delicacy of taste is favorable to love and friendship, By confining our choice to few people, and making us indifferent to the company and conversation of the greater party of men.

There is not to be found, in all history, any miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good sense, education and learning, as to secure us against all delusion in themselves.

To be a philosophical sceptic is, in a man of letters, the first and most essential to being a sound, believing Christian.

Nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.

To hate, to love, to think, to feel, to see; all this is nothing but to perceive.

It is not reason which is the guide of life, but custom.

Beauty, whether moral or natural, is felt, more properly than perceived.

He is happy whom circumstances suit his temper; but he Is more excellent who suits his temper to any circumstance.

Any person seasoned with a just sense of the imperfections of natural reason, will fly to revealed truth with the greatest avidity.

A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.

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

What a peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call 'thought'.

This avidity alone, of acquiring goods and possessions for ourselves and our nearest friends, is insatiable, perpetual, universal, and directly destructive of society.

The advantages found in history seem to be of three kinds, as it amuses the fancy, as it improves the understanding, and as it strengthens virtue.

A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.

Never literary attempt was more unfortunate than my Treatise of Human Nature. It fell dead-born from the press.

No advantages in this world are pure and unmixed.

The heights of popularity and patriotism are still the beaten road to power and tyranny.

The chief benefit, which results from philosophy, arises in an indirect manner, and proceeds more from its secret, insensible influence, than from its immediate application.

Among well-bred people a mutual deference is affected, contempt for others is disguised authority concealed attention given to each in his turn and an easy stream of conversation maintained without vehemence, without interruption, without eagernes.

A wise man, therefore, proportions his belief to the evidence.