David Hume quotes

David Hume was a Scottish philosopher known for his profound contributions to empiricism and skepticism. Born in 1711, Hume's philosophical ideas continue to shape modern thought. As an SEO-friendly bio, learn more about David Hume's life, works, and impact on philosophy here.

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

All sentiment is right; because sentiment has a reference to nothing beyond itself, and is always real, wherever a man is conscious of it. But all determinations of the understanding are not right; because they have a reference to something beyond themselves, to wit, real matter of fact; and are not always conformable to that standard.

- David Hume

No man ever threw away life while it was worth keeping.

- David Hume

In our reasonings concerning matter of fact, there are all imaginable degrees of assurance, from the highest certainty to the lowest species of moral evidence. A wise man, therefore, proportions his belief to the evidence.

- David Hume

Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.

- David Hume

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

The truth springs from arguments amongst friends.

- David Hume

Reading and sauntering and lounging and dosing, which I call thinking, is my supreme Happiness.

- David Hume

Liberty of any kind is never lost all at once.

- David Hume

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

He is happy whose circumstances suit his temper, but he is more excellent who can suit his temper to his circumstance.

- David Hume

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

A wise man apportions his beliefs to the evidence.

- David Hume

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

Custom is the great guide to human life.

- David Hume

Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.

- David Hume

Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.

- David Hume

I have written on all sorts of subjects... yet I have no enemies; except indeed all the Whigs, all the Tories, and all the Christians.

- David Hume

A propensity to hope and joy is real riches; one to fear and sorrow real poverty.

- David Hume

Beauty is no quality in things themselves. It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them.

- David Hume

Every wise, just, and mild government, by rendering the condition of its subjects easy and secure, will always abound most in people, as well as in commodities and riches.

- David Hume

The heights of popularity and patriotism are still the beaten road to power and tyranny.

- David Hume

And what is the greatest number? Number one.

- David Hume

Avarice, the spur of industry.

- David Hume

The Christian religion not only was at first attended with miracles, but even at this day cannot be believed by any reasonable person without one.

- David Hume

This avidity alone, of acquiring goods and possessions for ourselves and our nearest friends, is insatiable, perpetual, universal, and directly destructive of society.

- David Hume

Men are much oftener thrown on their knees by the melancholy than by the agreeable passions.

- David Hume

That the sun will not rise tomorrow is no less intelligible a proposition, and implies no more contradiction, than the affirmation, that it will rise.

- David Hume

No advantages in this world are pure and unmixed.

- David Hume

The corruption of the best things gives rise to the worst.

- David Hume