David Hume
David Hume (1711–1776), the Scottish philosopher, historian, and essayist, championed empiricism and skepticism. He argued that human knowledge derives from sensory experience, distinguishing between impressions (vivid perceptions) and ideas (fainter copies). Hume questioned causality, suggesting we infer cause-and-effect from habit, not reason. His “problem of induction” challenged certainty in science. In ethics, he emphasized sentiment over rationality, claiming moral judgments stem from feelings. His Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion critiqued arguments for God’s existence. Hume’s radical doubts influenced Kant, who said Hume “awoke me from my dogmatic slumber.” His legacy reshaped philosophy, grounding it in human experience and humility.
Nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.
