All morality depends upon our sentiments; and when any action or quality of the mind pleases us after a certain manner we… — David Hume Copy Share Image
...virtue is attended by more peace of mind than vice, and meets with a more favourable reception from the world. I am… — David Hume Copy Share Image
A man who has cured himself of all ridiculous prepossessions, and is fully, sincerely, and steadily convinced, from experience as well as… — David Hume Copy Share Image
Morals and criticism are not so properly objects of the understanding as of taste and sentiment. — David Hume Copy Share Image
Morals excite passions, and produce or prevent actions. Reason of itself is utterly impotent in this particular. The rules of morality, therefore,… — David Hume Copy Share Image
“The virtues of valor and love of liberty; the only virtues which can have place among an uncivilized people, where justice and… — David Hume Copy Share Image
“I deny not the course itself of events, which lies open to every one's inquiry and examination. I acknowledge, that, in the… — David Hume Copy Share Image
Vanity is so closely allied to virtue, and to love the fame of laudable actions approaches so near the love of laudable… — David Hume Copy Share Image
Disbelief in futurity loosens in a great measure the ties of morality, and may be for that reason pernicious to the peace… — David Hume Copy Share Image
The proper office of religion is to regulate the heart of men, humanize their conduct, infuse the spirit of temperance, order, andobedience;… — David Hume Copy Share Image
But would we know, whether the pretended prophet had really attained a just sentiment of morals? Let us attend to his narration;… — David Hume Copy Share Image
[priests are] the pretenders to power and dominion, and to a superior sanctity of character, distinct from virtue and good morals. — David Hume Copy Share Image
It seems then, say I, that you leave politics entirely out of the question, and never suppose, that a wise magistrate can… — David Hume Copy Share Image
In all determinations of morality, this circumstance of public utility is ever principally in view; and wherever disputes arise, either in philosophy… — David Hume Copy Share Image
Virtue, like wholesome food, is better than poisons, however corrected. — David Hume Copy Share Image
Nothing can be more real, or concern us more, than our own sentiments of pleasure and uneasiness; and if these be favourable… — David Hume Copy Share Image
Barbarity, caprice; these qualities, however nominally disguised, we may universally observe from the ruling character of the deity in all regular religions. — David Hume Copy Share Image
Justice is a moral virtue, merely because it has that tendency to the good of mankind, and indeed is nothing but an… — David Hume Copy Share Image
There has been a controversy started of late, much better worth examination, concerning the general foundation of Morals; whether they be derived… — David Hume Copy Share Image
Where is the reward of virtue? and what recompense has nature provided for such important sacrifices as those of life and fortune,… — David Hume Copy Share Image
The greatest crimes have been found, in many instances, to be compatible with a superstitious piety and devotion; hence it is justly… — David Hume Copy Share Image
The end of all moral speculations is to teach us our duty; and, by proper representations of the deformity of vice and… — David Hume Copy Share Image
How could politics be a science, if laws and forms of government had not a uniform influence upon society? Where would be… — David Hume Copy Share Image
If morality had naturally no influence on human passions and actions, it were in vain to take such pains to inculcate it;… — David Hume Copy Share Image
'Tis certain that a serious attention to the sciences and liberal arts softens and humanizes the temper, and cherishes those fine emotions… — David Hume Copy Share Image
“It is impossible for us to think of any thing, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses.” — David Hume Copy Share Image
All morality depends upon our sentiments; and when any action or quality of the mind pleases us after a certain manner we say it… — David Hume Copy Share Image
And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. For if truth… — David Hume Copy Share Image
...virtue is attended by more peace of mind than vice, and meets with a more favourable reception from the world. I am sensible, that,… — David Hume Copy Share Image
That the sun will not rise tomorrow is no less intelligible a proposition, and implies no more contradiction, than the affirmation, that it will… — David Hume Copy Share Image
We may conclude, therefore, that, in order to establish laws for the regulation of property, we must be acquainted with the nature and situation… — David Hume Copy Share Image
The observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy, and meets us at every turn, in spite of our endeavours… — David Hume Copy Share Image
The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just… — David Hume Copy Share Image
Manufacturers...gradually shift their places, leaving those countries and provinces which they have already enriched, and flying to others, whether they are allured by the… — David Hume Copy Share Image
We may observe that, in displaying the praises of any humane, beneficent man, there is one circumstance which never fails to be amply insisted… — David Hume Copy Share Image
“The most perfect happiness, surely, must arise from the contemplation of the most perfect object.” — David Hume Copy Share Image