David Hume Questions and Answers
David Hume
What does David Hume mean when he describes human nature as a "bundle of perceptions"?
When David Hume describes human nature as a "bundle of perceptions," he means that individual consciousness consists solely of sensory experiences and impressions. Hume, an empiricist, rejected the...
David Hume
What does David Hume mean when he states reason is the slave of the passions in Treatise on Human Nature?
David Hume states that reason is and should be the slave of passions in Treatise on Human Nature, and by this he means that what is considered "reasonable" is subjective and ultimately relies on...
David Hume
Explain Hume’s “bundle theory” of self and its implications for Descartes's Cogito.
Hume's "bundle theory" posits that the self is not a stable entity but a collection of perceptions linked by experience. This challenges Descartes's "Cogito" by rejecting the idea of a distinct,...
David Hume
Explain David Hume's view on the compatibility of liberty, necessity, and causal determinism.
David Hume's view of liberty and necessity changed over time. In his A Treatise of Human Nature, he put forward a hard determinist position, describing the doctrine of liberty as a “fantastical...
David Hume
Why does Hume argue that moral ideas cannot be derived from reason?
Hume argues that moral ideas cannot be derived from reason because the initial impulses behind moral norms arise from the emotions. Reason is what allows individuals to put moral norms into practice...
David Hume
What is Hume arguing through the quote, "A species of creatures … though rational … possessed of such inferior...
David Hume, in the quote, is examining the extent to which justice should apply to beings he considers "inferior." He describes a rational species weaker than humans, suggesting they should be...
David Hume
Compare Hume's theory of self with the Buddhist theory. How do they impact life?
It is an illusion to think that we have a permanent sense of self. This illusion results in suffering, but it can be eliminated through enlightenment.