人类理智研究 E.docx

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人类理智研究E

TheProjectGutenbergeBookofAnEnquiryConcerningHumanUnderstanding,byDavidHumeetal

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Title:

AnEnquiryConcerningHumanUnderstanding

Author:

DavidHumeetal

ReleaseDate:

January,2006[EBook#9662]

[ThisfilewasfirstpostedonOctober14,2003]

[Mostrecentlyupdated:

October16,2007]

Edition:

10

Language:

English

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iso-8859-1

***STARTOFTHEPROJECTGUTENBERGEBOOK,ANENQUIRYCONCERNINGHUMANUNDERSTANDING***

E-textpreparedbyJonathanIngram

andProjectGutenbergDistributedProofreaders

DAVIDHUME

ANENQUIRYCONCERNINGHUMANUNDERSTANDING.

Extractedfrom:

ENQUIRIESCONCERNINGTHEHUMANUNDERSTANDING,ANDCONCERNINGTHEPRINCIPLESOFMORALS,BYDAVIDHUME.

REPRINTEDFROMTHEPOSTHUMOUSEDITIONOF1777,ANDEDITEDWITHINTRODUCTION,COMPARATIVETABLESOFCONTENTS,ANDANALYTICALINDEXBYL.A.SELBY-BIGGE,M.A.,LATEFELLOWOFUNIVERSITYCOLLEGE,OXFORD.

SECONDEDITION,1902

CONTENTS

I.OftheDifferentSpeciesofPhilosophy

II.OftheOriginofIdeas

III.OftheAssociationofIdeas

IV.ScepticalDoubtsConcerningtheOperationsoftheUnderstanding

V.ScepticalSolutionoftheseDoubts

VI.OfProbability

VII.OftheIdeaofNecessaryConnexion

VIII.OfLibertyandNecessity

IX.OftheReasonofAnimals

X.OfMiracles

XI.OfaParticularProvidenceandofaFutureState

XII.OftheAcademicalorScepticalPhilosophy

Footnotes

Index

SECTION1.

OFTHEDIFFERENTSPECIESOFPHILOSOPHY.

1.Moralphilosophy,orthescienceofhumannature,maybetreatedaftertwodifferentmanners;eachofwhichhasitspeculiarmerit,andmaycontributetotheentertainment,instruction,andreformationofmankind.Theoneconsidersmanchieflyasbornforaction;andasinfluencedinhismeasuresbytasteandsentiment;pursuingoneobject,andavoidinganother,accordingtothevaluewhichtheseobjectsseemtopossess,andaccordingtothelightinwhichtheypresentthemselves.Asvirtue,ofallobjects,isallowedtobethemostvaluable,thisspeciesofphilosopherspaintherinthemostamiablecolours;borrowingallhelpsfrompoetryandeloquence,andtreatingtheirsubjectinaneasyandobviousmanner,andsuchasisbestfittedtopleasetheimagination,andengagetheaffections.Theyselectthemoststrikingobservationsandinstancesfromcommonlife;placeoppositecharactersinapropercontrast;andalluringusintothepathsofvirtuebytheviewsofgloryandhappiness,directourstepsinthesepathsbythesoundestpreceptsandmostillustriousexamples.Theymakeusfeelthedifferencebetweenviceandvirtue;theyexciteandregulateoursentiments;andsotheycanbutbendourheartstotheloveofprobityandtruehonour,theythink,thattheyhavefullyattainedtheendofalltheirlabours.

2.Theotherspeciesofphilosophersconsidermaninthelightofareasonableratherthananactivebeing,andendeavourtoformhisunderstandingmorethancultivatehismanners.Theyregardhumannatureasasubjectofspeculation;andwithanarrowscrutinyexamineit,inordertofindthoseprinciples,whichregulateourunderstanding,exciteoursentiments,andmakeusapproveorblameanyparticularobject,action,orbehaviour.Theythinkitareproachtoallliterature,thatphilosophyshouldnotyethavefixed,beyondcontroversy,thefoundationofmorals,reasoning,andcriticism;andshouldforevertalkoftruthandfalsehood,viceandvirtue,beautyanddeformity,withoutbeingabletodeterminethesourceofthesedistinctions.Whiletheyattemptthisarduoustask,theyaredeterredbynodifficulties;butproceedingfromparticularinstancestogeneralprinciples,theystillpushontheirenquiriestoprinciplesmoregeneral,andrestnotsatisfiedtilltheyarriveatthoseoriginalprinciples,bywhich,ineveryscience,allhumancuriositymustbebounded.Thoughtheirspeculationsseemabstract,andevenunintelligibletocommonreaders,theyaimattheapprobationofthelearnedandthewise;andthinkthemselvessufficientlycompensatedforthelabouroftheirwholelives,iftheycandiscoversomehiddentruths,whichmaycontributetotheinstructionofposterity.

3.Itiscertainthattheeasyandobviousphilosophywillalways,withthegeneralityofmankind,havethepreferenceabovetheaccurateandabstruse;andbymanywillberecommended,notonlyasmoreagreeable,butmoreusefulthantheother.Itentersmoreintocommonlife;mouldstheheartandaffections;and,bytouchingthoseprincipleswhichactuatemen,reformstheirconduct,andbringsthemnearertothatmodelofperfectionwhichitdescribes.Onthecontrary,theabstrusephilosophy,beingfoundedonaturnofmind,whichcannotenterintobusinessandaction,vanisheswhenthephilosopherleavestheshade,andcomesintoopenday;norcanitsprincipleseasilyretainanyinfluenceoverourconductandbehaviour.Thefeelingsofourheart,theagitationofourpassions,thevehemenceofouraffections,dissipateallitsconclusions,andreducetheprofoundphilosophertoamereplebeian.

4.Thisalsomustbeconfessed,thatthemostdurable,aswellasjustestfame,hasbeenacquiredbytheeasyphilosophy,andthatabstractreasonersseemhithertotohaveenjoyedonlyamomentaryreputation,fromthecapriceorignoranceoftheirownage,buthavenotbeenabletosupporttheirrenownwithmoreequitableposterity.Itiseasyforaprofoundphilosophertocommitamistakeinhissubtilereasonings;andonemistakeisthenecessaryparentofanother,whilehepushesonhisconsequences,andisnotdeterredfromembracinganyconclusion,byitsunusualappearance,oritscontradictiontopopularopinion.Butaphilosopher,whopurposesonlytorepresentthecommonsenseofmankindinmorebeautifulandmoreengagingcolours,ifbyaccidenthefallsintoerror,goesnofarther;butrenewinghisappealtocommonsense,andthenaturalsentimentsofthemind,returnsintotherightpath,andsecureshimselffromanydangerousillusions.ThefameofCiceroflourishesatpresent;butthatofAristotleisutterlydecayed.LaBruyerepassestheseas,andstillmaintainshisreputation:

ButthegloryofMalebrancheisconfinedtohisownnation,andtohisownage.AndAddison,perhaps,willbereadwithpleasure,whenLockeshallbeentirelyforgotten.

Themerephilosopherisacharacter,whichiscommonlybutlittleacceptableintheworld,asbeingsupposedtocontributenothingeithertotheadvantageorpleasureofsociety;whilehelivesremotefromcommunicationwithmankind,andiswrappedupinprinciplesandnotionsequallyremotefromtheircomprehension.Ontheotherhand,themereignorantisstillmoredespised;norisanythingdeemedasurersignofanilliberalgeniusinanageandnationwherethesciencesflourish,thantobeentirelydestituteofallrelishforthosenobleentertainments.Themostperfectcharacterissupposedtoliebetweenthoseextremes;retaininganequalabilityandtasteforbooks,company,andbusiness;preservinginconversationthatdiscernmentanddelicacywhicharisefrompoliteletters;andinbusiness,thatprobityandaccuracywhicharethenaturalresultofajustphilosophy.Inordertodiffuseandcultivatesoaccomplishedacharacter,nothingcanbemoreusefulthancompositionsoftheeasystyleandmanner,whichdrawnottoomuchfromlife,requirenodeepapplicationorretreattobecomprehended,andsendbackthestudentamongmankindfullofnoblesentimentsandwiseprecepts,applicabletoeveryexigenceofhumanlife.Bymeansofsuchcompositions,virtuebecomesamiable,scienceagreeable,companyinstructive,andretiremententertaining.

Manisareasonablebeing;andassuch,receivesfromsciencehisproperfoodandnourishment:

Butsonarrowaretheboundsofhumanunderstanding,thatlittlesatisfactioncanbehopedforinthisparticular,eitherfromtheextentofsecurityorhisacquisitions.Manisasociable,nolessthanareasonablebeing:

Butneithercanhealwaysenjoycompanyagreeableandamusing,orpreservetheproperrelishforthem.Manisalsoanactivebeing;andfromthatdisposition,aswellasfromthevariousnecessitiesofhumanlife,mustsubmittobusinessandoccupation:

Butthemindrequiressomerelaxation,andcannotalwayssupportitsbenttocareandindustry.Itseems,then,thatnaturehaspointedoutamixedkindoflifeasmostsuitabletothehumanrace,andsecretlyadmonishedthemtoallownoneofthesebiassestodrawtoomuch,soastoincapacitatethemforotheroccupationsandentertainments.Indulgeyourpassionforscience,saysshe,butletyoursciencebehuman,andsuchasmayhaveadirectreferencetoactionandsociety.AbstrusethoughtandprofoundresearchesIprohibit,andwillseverelypunish,bythepensivemelancholywhichtheyintroduce,bytheendlessuncertaintyinwhichtheyinvolveyou,andbythecoldreceptionwhich