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Nothing is more usual than for philosophers to encroach upon the province of grammarians; and to engage in disputes of words, while they imagine that they are handling controversies of the deepest importance and concern

David Hume

Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions.
DAVID HUME

Passion Reason Slave
The fact that different cultures have different practices no more refutes [moral] objectivism than the fact that water flows in different directions in different places refutes the law of gravity.
DAVID HUME

Culture Different Direction Fact Law Place Water
The gazing populace receive greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition and promotes wonder.
DAVID HUME

Greedy Philosophy Wonder
Revolutions of government cannot be effected by the mere force of argument and reasoning.
DAVID HUME

Argument Force Government Politics Revolution
We should never know how to adjust means to ends, or to employ our natural powers in the production of any effect. There would be an end at once of all action, as well as of the chief part of speculation.
DAVID HUME

Action End Philosophy Power Product
What a peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call ‘thought’
DAVID HUME

Brain Philosophy Privilege Thought
I never knew anyone, that examined and deliberated about nonsense, who did not believe it before the end of his enquiries.
DAVID HUME

Believe Deep Examine Philosophy
A wise man apportions his beliefs to the evidence.
DAVID HUME

Believe Evidence Man One Liner Wise
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

Affair Day Decent Expose Eyes Man Public Truth World
It is, therefore, a just political maxim, that every man must be supposed a knave.
DAVID HUME

Man Philosophy Politics
To be a philosophical Sceptic is the first and most essential step towards being a sound, believing Christian.
DAVID HUME

Believe History Philosophy Religious
The truth springs from arguments amongst friends.
DAVID HUME

Argument Friendship One Liner Season Truth
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 HUME

Obey Passion Reason Serve Slave
Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.
DAVID HUME

Danger Deep Error Philosophy Religious Speak
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

Allow Blame Human Man Philosophy Selfish Separate
A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.
DAVID HUME

Care Design Purpose Stupidity Think

Nothing is more usual than for philosophers to encroach upon the province of grammarians; and to engage in disputes of words, while they imagine that they are handling controversies of the deepest importance and concern

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Nothing is more usual than for philosophers to encroach upon the province of grammarians; and to engage in disputes of words, while they imagine that they are handling controversies of the deepest importance and concern

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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