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.
DAVID HUMEno 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.
More David Hume Quotes
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Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
DAVID HUME -
Liberty of any kind is never lost all at once
DAVID HUME -
Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them
DAVID HUME -
The gazing populace receive greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition and promotes wonder.
DAVID HUME -
We make allowance for a certain degree of selfishness in men; because we know it to be inseparable from human nature, and inherent in our frame and constitution. By this reflexion we correct those sentiments of blame, which so naturally arise upon any opposition.
DAVID HUME -
Heaven and Hell suppose two distinct species of men, the good and bad.
DAVID HUME -
The truth springs from arguments amongst friends.
DAVID HUME -
Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.
DAVID HUME -
But the greatest part of mankind float between vice and virtue.
DAVID HUME -
The identity that we ascribe to things is only a fictitious one, established by the mind, not a peculiar nature belonging to what we’re talking about.
DAVID HUME -
Epicurus’s old questions are still unanswered: Is he (God) willing to prevent evil, but not able? then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? then whence evil?
DAVID HUME -
As every inquiry which regards religion is of the utmost importance, there are two questions in particular which challenge our attention, to wit, that concerning its foundation in reason, and that concerning it origin in human nature.
DAVID HUME -
Any pride or haughtiness, is displeasing to us, merely because it shocks our own pride, and leads us by sympathy into comparison, which causes the disagreeable passion of humility.
DAVID HUME -
In public affairs men are often better pleased that the truth, though known to everybody, should be wrapped up under a decent cover than if it were exposed in open daylight to the eyes of all the world.
DAVID HUME -
It is, therefore, a just political maxim, that every man must be supposed a knave.
DAVID HUME







