Home / Quotes / Quote by David Hume

Quote by David Hume

“How could politics be a science, if laws and forms of government had not a uniform influence upon society? Where would be the foundation of morals, if particular characters had no certain or determinate power to produce particular sentiments, and if these sentiments had no constant operation on actions?”

Quote by David Hume

Book:Essays Moral, Political, and Literary

Work

Essays Moral, Political, and Literary

This book is a compilation of essays that delve into a range of philosophical and political topics, offering insights into the author's perspectives on society, ethics, and governance. more

Author

David Hume, born on May 7, 1711, in Edinburgh, Scotland, and died on August 25, 1776, was an outstanding philosopher, historian, and economist. Known for his contributions to empiricism and skepticism, his works have had a profound impact on subsequent philosophy, economics, and psychology. more

You May Also Like

“It seems then, say I, that you leave politics entirely out of the question, and never suppose, that a wise magistrate can justly be jealous of certain tenets of philosophy, such as those of Epicurus, which, denying a divine existence, and consequently a providence and a future state, seem to loosen, in a great measure, the ties of morality, and may be supposed, for that reason, pernicious to the peace of civil society.”

Source: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding: A Critical Edition

“In ancient times, bodily strength and dexterity, being of greater use and importance in war, was also much more esteemed and valued, than at present. ... In short, the different ranks of men are, in a great measure, regulated by riches.”

Men Different War Use Political Greater Importance Ancient Riches Ancient Times Dexterity

Author:David Hume

“A man who has cured himself of all ridiculous prepossessions, and is fully, sincerely, and steadily convinced, from experience as well as philosophy, that the difference of fortune makes less difference in happiness than is vulgarly imagined; such a one does not measure out degrees of esteem according to the rent-rolls of his acquaintance. ... his internal sentiments are more regulated by the personal characters of men, than by the accidental and capricious favors of fortune.”

“Ever since men became capable of free speculation, their actions, in innumerable important respects, have depended upon their theories as to the world and human life, as to what is good and what is evil. This is true in the present day as at any former time. To understand an age or a nation, we must understand its philosophy, and to understand its philosophy we must ourselves be in some degree philosophers. There is here a reciprocal causation: the circumstances of men s lives do much to determine their philosophy, but, conversely, their philosophy does much to determine their circumstances.”

“Modern definitions of truth, such as those as pragmatism and instrumentalism, which are practical rather than contemplative, are inspired by industrialisation as opposed to aristocracy.”

Political Modern Inspired Definitions Practicals Aristocracy Contemplative Pragmatism

Author:Bertrand Russell

“Yes, a dictator can be loved. Provided that the masses fear him at the same time. The crowd love strong men. The crowd is like a woman.”

Men Political Strong Mass Crowds Dictator Strong Man Strong Love

Author:Benito Mussolini

“We should be similarly wary of accepting common opinions; we should judge them by the ways of reason not by popular vote.”

Way Should Reason Political Common Accepting Opinion Judging Vote Popular Vote

Book:The Essays of Michel de Montaigne

Source: The Essays of Michel de Montaigne

“There is a huge gulf between the man who follows the conventions and laws of his country and the man who sets out to regiment them and to change them.”

Men Country Law Political He Man Huge Conventions

Book:The Essays of Michel de Montaigne

Source: The Essays of Michel de Montaigne

“Peoples nurtured on freedom and self-government judge any other form of polity to be deformed and unnatural. Those who are used to monarchy do the same .”

Self Government Form Political Used Judging Monarchy Unnatural Self-government

Book:The Essays of Michel de Montaigne

Source: The Essays of Michel de Montaigne

“The Unconscious Civilisation There is a certain terrifying dignity to the big ideologies. With the stroke of an intellectual argument the planet is put in its place. Only the bravest or the most foolish of individuals would not become passive before such awe inspiring destinies.”

Bigs Political Certain Individual Destiny Planets Intellectual Argument Dignity Foolish Ideology Unconscious Awe Passive Strokes Civilisation Awe Inspiring

Author:John Ralston Saul