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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

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
To philosophers and historians, the madness and imbecile wickedness of mankind ought to appear ordinary events.
DAVID HUME

Appear History Mad Ordinary Philosophy
It is possible for the same thing both to be and not to be.
DAVID HUME

Deep Philosophy Possible Thing
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

Compare Haunt Passion Philosophy Pride Sympathy
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
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
It is, therefore, a just political maxim, that every man must be supposed a knave.
DAVID HUME

Man Philosophy Politics
The victory is not gained by the men at arms, who manage the pike and the sword; but by the trumpeters, drummers, and musicians of the army.
DAVID HUME

Gain Man Music Victory War
A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature.
DAVID HUME

Law Miracle Nature One Liner
But the life of a man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.
DAVID HUME

Animal Deep Great Important Life Man Philosophy Universe
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 wise man apportions his beliefs to the evidence.
DAVID HUME

Believe Evidence Man One Liner Wise
The feelings of our heart, the agitation of our passions, the vehemence of our affections, dissipate all its conclusions, and reduce the profound philosopher to a mere plebeian.
DAVID HUME

Affection Feeling Heart Passion Philosophy
A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.
DAVID HUME

Care Design Purpose Stupidity Think
Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty.
DAVID HUME

Beautiful Different Exist Mind Philosophy Quality Thing
He is happy whose circumstances suit his temper, but he is more excellent who can suit his temper to his circumstance.
DAVID HUME

Excellent Happiness Himself Philosophy Situation Temper
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

Attention Challenge Deep Foundation Human Important Philosophy Reason Religious
The science of man is the only solid foundation for the other sciences.
DAVID HUME

Foundation Man Science
Liberty of any kind is never lost all at once
DAVID HUME

Freedom Liberty Lost One Liner
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.
DAVID HUME

Alone Arrogant Man Mistake Passion Secure
What a peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call ‘thought’
DAVID HUME

Brain Philosophy Privilege Thought
Carelessness and in-attention alone can afford us any remedy. For this reason I rely entirely upon them.
DAVID HUME

Afford Alone Attention Care Reason
It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause
DAVID HUME

Believe Deity God Human Low Passion Philosophy
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

Answer Deep Evil Old Question
Reading and sauntering and lounging and dosing, which I call thinking, is my supreme Happiness.
DAVID HUME

Happiness Read 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
DAVID HUME

Deep Imagination Important Philosophy War Word
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

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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