Ideas versus Impressions…

People, from they day they are born, are exposed to exterior factors that may or may not play a role in their lives. To Hume, these factors certainly shape the way we think or act. Believing that proper philosophy should focus on why we believe as opposed to what we believe, Hume decided to figure out how humans came to think the way they did, as well as composing the thought they composed.

Human ideas are formulated through experiences and impressions. These are the two different perceptions that exist in human nature. Ideas are merely copies of an original impression; in other words, experience provides us with both the ideas of ourselves and our awareness of our associations. Our pasts bear relevance to present and future perceptions. It is thus true to Hume that the individual idea is nothing but fiction in perseption, for the way we see ourselves is derived from exterior elements that influence us to think of ourselves the way we do. The impressoin of “self” is dillusional and cannot truly exist.

“Reason is, and ought to be, only the slave of the passions.”

Our morality is based on habit and/or the customs of our daily life. This makes sense when we consider Hume’s belief of our thoughts being based on personal experience and impressions; in the same way, our morals and ethical thinking is formed on the grounds of what we are used to. It is then through our sentiments that our actions bring out our moral beliefs.

With respect to God, Hume strongly stresses that it is a mistake to try and prove God’s existence. There are no repeated causes that can be related to the creation of the universe, and so we have no means of proof regardless of how the argument is raised.