The science of man is the only solid foundation for the other sciences.

David Hume

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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
All sentiment is right; because sentiment has a reference to nothing beyond itself, and is always real, wherever a man is conscious of it.
DAVID HUME

Always Conscious Man Real Reference Right
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

Fiction Identity Mind Nature Talk Thing
The gazing populace receive greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition and promotes wonder.
DAVID HUME

Greedy Philosophy Wonder
Tis not unreasonable for me to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.
DAVID HUME

Destruction Fingers Reason World
A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.
DAVID HUME

Care Design Purpose Stupidity Think
No man ever threw away life while it was worth keeping.
DAVID HUME

Life Man Worth
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
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
But the greatest part of mankind float between vice and virtue.
DAVID HUME

Float Great Man Virtue
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
What a peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call ‘thought’
DAVID HUME

Brain Philosophy Privilege Thought
A wise man apportions his beliefs to the evidence.
DAVID HUME

Believe Evidence Man One Liner Wise
Where am I, or what? From what causes do I derive my existence, and to what condition shall I return?
DAVID HUME

Condition Exist Philosophy Return
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
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
How can we satisfy ourselves without going on in infinitum? And, after all, what satisfaction is there in that infinite progression?
DAVID HUME

Infinite Philosophy Satisfy
If subjects must never resist, it follows that every prince, without any effort, policy, or violence, is at once rendered absolute and uncontrollable.
DAVID HUME

Effort Follow Philosophy Resist Violence
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
Heaven and Hell suppose two distinct species of men, the good and bad.
DAVID HUME

Bad Deep Good Heaven Hell Man Philosophy Religious
The bigotry of theologians is a malady which seems almost incurable.
DAVID HUME

Cure Philosophy
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
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
A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature.
DAVID HUME

Law Miracle Nature One Liner
It is, therefore, a just political maxim, that every man must be supposed a knave.
DAVID HUME

Man Philosophy Politics
The truth springs from arguments amongst friends.
DAVID HUME

Argument Friendship One Liner Season Truth
Reading and sauntering and lounging and dosing, which I call thinking, is my supreme Happiness.
DAVID HUME

Happiness Read Think
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.
DAVID HUME

Deep Establish False Kind Miracle Philosophy Sufficient
The science of man is the only solid foundation for the other sciences.
DAVID HUME

Foundation Man Science
Revolutions of government cannot be effected by the mere force of argument and reasoning.
DAVID HUME

Argument Force Government Politics Revolution
It is possible for the same thing both to be and not to be.
DAVID HUME

Deep Philosophy Possible Thing
I weigh the one miracle against the other and according to the superiority which I discover, I pronounce my decision.
DAVID HUME

Decision Discover Miracle Myself Pronounce Weight
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
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
Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
DAVID HUME

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

Passion Reason Slave
The Crusades – the most signal and most durable monument of human folly that has yet appeared in any age or nation.
DAVID HUME

Age Appear Human Monument Nation
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 be a philosophical Sceptic is the first and most essential step towards being a sound, believing Christian.
DAVID HUME

Believe History Philosophy Religious
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

The science of man is the only solid foundation for the other sciences.

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The science of man is the only solid foundation for the other sciences.

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