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David Hume

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David Hume
Age: 65 †
Born: 1711
Born: April 26
Died: 1776
Died: August 25
Economist
Essayist
Historian
Librarian
Philosopher
Writer
Edinburgh
Scotland
David Home
Hume
Posing
Empathy
Painting
Men

More quotes by David Hume

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The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.
David Hume
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A propensity to hope and joy is real riches one to fear and sorrow real poverty.
David Hume
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.. that a rule, which, in speculation, may seem the most advantageous to society, may yet be found, in practice, totally pernicious and destructive.
David Hume
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A man acquainted with history may, in some respect, be said to have lived from the beginning of the world, and to have been making continual additions to his stock of knowledge in every century.
David Hume
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If God is omnipotent, omniscient and wholly good, whence evil? If God wills to prevent evil but cannot, then He is not omnipotent. If He can prevent evil but does not, then he is not good. In either case he is not God.
David Hume
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From causes which appear similar, we expect similar effects. This is the sum total of all our experimental conclusions.
David Hume
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God is an ever-present spirit guiding all that happens to a wise and holy end.
David Hume
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Eloquence, when in its highest pitch, leaves little room for reason or reflection.
David Hume
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Such a superiority do the pursuits of literature possess above every other occupation, that even he who attains but a mediocrity in them, merits the pre-eminence above those that excel the most in the common and vulgar professions.
David Hume
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Heaven and hell suppose two distinct species of men, the good and the bad. But the greatest part of mankind float betwixt vice and virtue.
David Hume
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The simplest and most obvious cause which can there be assigned for any phenomena, is probably the true one.
David Hume
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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
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A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.
David Hume
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What would become of history, had we not a dependence on the veracity of the historian, according to the experience, what we have had of mankind?
David Hume
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Nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.
David Hume
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History is the discovering of the principles of human nature.
David Hume
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Liberty of thinking, and of expressing our thoughts, is always fatal to priestly power, and to those pious frauds on which it is commonly founded.
David Hume
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Disbelief in futurity loosens in a great measure the ties of morality, and may be for that reason pernicious to the peace of civil society.
David Hume
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It is harder to avoid censure than to gain applause for this may be done by one great or wise action in an age. But to escape censure a man must pass his whole life without saying or doing one ill or foolish thing
David Hume
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Examine the religious principles which have, in fact, prevailed in the world. You will scarcely be persuaded that they are other than sick men's dreams.
David Hume