Philosophy - David Hume Thought

Question 1

What led to Hume’s method?

Answer 1

The ‘new scene of thought’ had a profound effect on Hume’s philosophy and lead to his skeptical method of reasoning.

Question 2

What is the skeptical method?

Answer 2

The skeptical method involves questioning all beliefs against scientific reasoning. It means that all truth claims must be based on reason and experience. Beliefs must be tested and not held to be true simply because of what is generally accepted.

Question 3

What did Hume think about moral laws?

Answer 3

Hume argued that there are no moral laws or facts. Morals merely express our feelings which we treat as if they are moral facts.

Question 4

What did the skeptical method lead Hume to doubt?

Answer 4

The skeptical method also led Hume to doubt whether there is such a thing as cause and effect. All we can observe are events happening in the world.

Question 5

What did Hume reject by his skeptical method?

Answer 5

His skepticism lead him to reject the traditional creator designer God but possibly not God as an underlying principle of the universe.​

Question 6

What were Hume’s argument for God’s existence

Answer 6

The traditional philosophical argument to prove
God’s existence used analogy…

The design argument, two steps:

Stage 1: The argument for design – there is clearly
order in the universe

Stage 2: The argument from design – the order in
the universe suggests existence of a higher
intelligence which is omnipotent
(analogy: pile of bricks to house, pile of parts to
watch)

Question 7

Who were the 3 main characters in Hume’s book?

Answer 7

Cleanthes
Philo
Demea

Question 8

what was Cleanthes’ character?

Answer 8

philosopher who puts forward the
design argument

Question 9

what was Philo’s character?

Answer 9

skeptical philosopher, raises many objections

i. General laws of science can explain how world
evolved, like an animal or vegetable
ii. Human minds like to impose order
iii. God could be like a child, made many poor
versions before creating the universe as we
know it
iv. Like a house created by input of many, so
universe could be product of many minds =
polytheism
v. Matter simply obeys its own laws
vi. Our part of the universe might be designed,
but what about the rest of it?

Question 10

what was Demea’s character?

Answer 10

traditional Christian believer

i. Human minds too weak to know anything of
omnipotent God
ii. Very arrogant to think God is anything like the
human mind = anthropomorphism.