There is a set of harmless liars, frequently to be met with in company, who deal much in the marvellous. Their usual intention is to please and entertain; but as men are most delighted with what they conceive to be the truth, these people mistake the means of pleasing, and incur universal blame.

David Hume

Categorized in : Mean Liars Mistake

There is no such thing as freedom of choice unless there is freed... by David Hume

There is no such thing as freedom of choice unless there is freedom to refuse.

freedom-of-choice refuse choices

What we call a mind is nothing but a heap or collection of different perceptions, united together by certain relations and supposed, though falsely, to be endowed with a perfect simplicity and identity.

simplicity perception perfect

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.

evil doe religion

THERE is no method of reasoning more common, and yet none more blameable, than, in philosophical disputes, to endeavour the refutation of any hypothesis, by a pretence of its dangerous consequences to religion and morality. When any opinion leads to absurdities, it is certainly false; but it is not certain that an opinion is false, because it is of dangerous consequence. Such topics, therefore, ought entirely to be forborne; as serving nothing to the discovery of truth, but only to make the person of an antagonist odious.

topics philosophical discovery

A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence. by David Hume

A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.

wisdom wise knowledge

Nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many... by David Hume

Nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.

philosophical government philosophy

Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them. by David Hume

Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.

philosophical positive beauty

Nothing exists without a cause, the original cause of this univer... by David Hume

Nothing exists without a cause, the original cause of this universe we call God.

originals universe causes

Time is a perishable commodity. by David Hume

Time is a perishable commodity.

time-management commodity management

The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than... by David Hume

The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.

men life science

It is seldom, that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. Slavery has so frightful an aspect to men accustomed to freedom, that it must steal upon them by degrees, and must disguise itself in a thousand shapes, in order to be received.

liberty men order

When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistak... by David Hume

When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken.

arrogance stupidity men

While we are reasoning concerning life, life is gone. by David Hume

While we are reasoning concerning life, life is gone.

gone life-is life

Truth springs from argument amongst friends. by David Hume

Truth springs from argument amongst friends.

philosophical spring friendship

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.

passion humility men

If we take in our hand any volume; of divinity or school metaphysics, for instance; let us ask, Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion.

math numbers school

Though experience be our only guide in reasoning concerning matters of fact; it must be acknowledged, that this guide is not altogether infallible, but in some cases is apt to lead us into errors.

errors matter facts

Nothing indeed can be a stronger presumption of falsehood than th... by David Hume

Nothing indeed can be a stronger presumption of falsehood than the approbation of the multitude.

stronger honesty truth

All knowledge degenerates into probability. by David Hume

All knowledge degenerates into probability.

degenerates science knowledge

Nothing appears more surprising to those, who consider human affairs with a philosophical eye, than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few; and the implicit submission, with which men resign their own sentiments and passions to those of their rulers.

philosophical passion eye