David Hume Quotes About Human Nature

Quotes about: Human Nature

• Human Nature is the only science of man; and yet has been hitherto the most neglected.

  David Hume

  Philosophical, Men, Human Nature

  David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.209, 谷月社

• No quality of human nature is more remarkable, both in itself and in its consequences, than that propensity we have to sympathize with others, and to receive by communication their inclinations and sentiments, however different from, or even contrary to our own.

  David Hume

  Communication, Quality, Different

  David Hume (1874). “A Treatise on Human Nature: Being an Attempt to Introduce the Experimental Method of Reasoning Into Moral Subjects; and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion”, p.111

• Mankind are so much the same, in all times and places, that history informs us of nothing new or strange in this particular. Its chief use is only to discover the constant and universal principles of human nature.

  David Hume

  History, Principles, Use

  David Hume (1788). “An inquiry concerning human understanding. A dissertation on the passions. An inquiry concerning the principles of morals. The natural history of religion”, p.90

• A too great disproportion among the citizens weakens any state. Every person, if possible, ought to enjoy the fruits of his labour, in a full possession of all the necessities, and many of the conveniences of life. No one can doubt, but such an equality is most suitable to human nature, and diminishes much less from the happiness of the rich than it adds to that of the poor.

  David Hume

  Political, Doubt, Add

  David Hume (1817). “Philosophical Essays: On Morals, Literature, and Politics”, p.284

• All the sciences have a relation, greater or less, to human nature; and...however wide any of them may seem to run from it, they still return back by one passage or another. Even Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Natural Religion, are in some measure dependent on the science of MAN; since they lie under the cognizance of men, and are judged of by their powers and faculties.

  David Hume

  Running, Philosophy, Lying

• History is the discovering of the principles of human nature.

  David Hume

  History, Principles, Human Nature

• I do not think a philosopher who would apply himself so earnestly to the explaining the ultimate principles of the soul, would show himself a great master in the very science of human nature, which he pretends to explain, or very knowing in what is naturally satisfactory to the mind of man.

  David Hume

  Men, Thinking, Knowing

  David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.5, 谷月社

• And as this is the obvious appearance of things, it must be admitted, till some hypothesis be discovered, which by penetrating deeper into human nature, may prove the former affections to be nothing but modifications of the latter. All attempts of this kind have hitherto proved fruitless, and seem to have proceeded entirely from that love of simplicity which has been the source of much false reasoning in philosophy.

  David Hume

  Philosophy, Simplicity, Words Of Wisdom

  David Hume (1758). “Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects”, p.402

• As every inquiry which regards religion is of the utmost importance, there are two questions in particular which challenge our attention, to wit, that concerning its foundation in reason, and that concerning it origin in human nature.

  David Hume

  Two, Challenges, Foundation

  David Hume (1788). “An inquiry concerning human understanding. A dissertation on the passions. An inquiry concerning the principles of morals. The natural history of religion”, p.362

• We make allowance for a certain degree of selfishness in men; because we know it to be inseparable from human nature, and inherent in our frame and constitution. By this reflexion we correct those sentiments of blame, which so naturally arise upon any opposition.

  David Hume

  Men, Selfishness, Degrees

  David Hume (2003). “A Treatise of Human Nature”, p.415, Courier Corporation

• There is a very remarkable inclination in human nature to bestow on external objects the same emotions which it observes in itself, and to find every where those ideas which are most present to it.

  David Hume

  Ideas, Emotion, Human Nature

  David Hume (2015). “A Treatise of Human Nature: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.175, 谷月社

• Never literary attempt was more unfortunate than my Treatise of Human Nature. It fell dead-born from the press.

  David Hume

  Human Nature, Born, Unfortunate

  'My Own Life' (1777) ch. 1

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