--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Custom, then, is the great guide of human…" description: "\"“Custom, then, is the great guide of human life. It is that principle alone which renders our experience useful to us, and makes us expect, for the fut..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ea/david-hume-538_custom_custom-then-is-the-great-guide-of-human_2738094.jpg" --- # Custom, then, is the great guide of human life. It is that… ![“Custom, then, is the great guide of human life. It is that principle alone which renders our experience useful to us, and makes us expect, for the future, a similar train of events with those which have appeared in the past. Without the influence of custom, we should be entirely ignorant of every…” quote by David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ea/david-hume-538_custom_custom-then-is-the-great-guide-of-human_2738094.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ea/david-hume-538_custom_custom-then-is-the-great-guide-of-human_2738094.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ea/david-hume-538_custom_custom-then-is-the-great-guide-of-human_2738094.jpg) > ““Custom, then, is the great guide of human life. It is that principle alone which renders our experience useful to us, and makes us expect, for the future, a similar train of events with those which have appeared in the past. Without the influence of custom, we should be entirely ignorant of every matter of fact beyond what is immediately present to the memory and senses. We should never know how to adjust means to ends, or to employ our natural powers in the production of any effect. There would be an end at once of all action, as well as of the chief part of speculation.”” [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Custom shapes expectations and understanding; without it, we lack the framework to interpret experiences or plan actions. **In simple terms:** Custom guides expectations and understanding. Key Takeaway Recognize the role of habit in judgment. Themes philosophy psychology epistemology Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - learning new skills - cultural adaptation - decision making Key Concepts custom habit knowledge formation Questions to Reflect On - How does custom limit perception? - When should you challenge tradition? A Different Perspective Overreliance on custom can hinder innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Speculation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speculation/) ## Related quotes > [The past can influence the future. When you finish one chapter, you open another, which will be influenced by what you've just lived through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/the-past-can-influence-the-future-when-you-finish-one-chapter-you/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [“the past will influence your future, but it doesn't have to destroy it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/the-past-will-influence-your-future-but-it-doesn-t-have-to-destroy-it/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [People who come through television, if they don't get distracted, they learn how to shoot fast. They don't get shocked. And if they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-todd/people-who-come-through-television-if-they-don-t-get-distracted-they/) [Tony Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-todd/) > [Be patient. Do the best with what you know. When you know more, adjust the trajectory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/be-patient-do-the-best-with-what-you-know-when-you-know-more-adjust/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [I know when to stop, I know when to let things go, I know when to move on, and I know how to adjust,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-chable/i-know-when-to-stop-i-know-when-to-let-things-go-i-know-when-to-move/) [Ana Chable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-chable/) > [I do feel like I have a lot more confidence now. I can shot list the episode before I start, but then, as things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiri-appleby/i-do-feel-like-i-have-a-lot-more-confidence-now-i-can-shot-list-the/) [Shiri Appleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiri-appleby/) > [“There is no problem if one does not know anything about the worldly life, but he should know how to ‘adjust’. Others do keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/there-is-no-problem-if-one-does-not-know-anything-about-the-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Custom is the great guide to human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/custom-is-the-great-guide-to-human-life/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Custom, then, is the great guide of human life. It is that principle alone, which renders our experience useful to us, and makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/custom-then-is-the-great-guide-of-human-life-it-is-that-principle/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [It is not reason which is the guide of life, but custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/it-is-not-reason-which-is-the-guide-of-life-but-custom/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [.. that a rule, which, in speculation, may seem the most advantageous to society, may yet be found, in practice, totally pernicious and destructive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/that-a-rule-which-in-speculation-may-seem-the-most-advantageous-to/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Reason, in a strict sense, as meaning the judgment of truth and falsehood, can never, of itself, be any motive to the will, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/reason-in-a-strict-sense-as-meaning-the-judgment-of-truth-and/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [... if you insist that the inference is made by a chain of reasoning, I desire you to produce that reasoning. The connection between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/if-you-insist-that-the-inference-is-made-by-a-chain-of-reasoning-i/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [In our reasonings concerning matter of fact, there are all imaginable degrees of assurance, from the highest certainty to the lowest species of moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/in-our-reasonings-concerning-matter-of-fact-there-are-all-imaginable/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Though experience be our only guide in reasoning concerning matters of fact; it must be acknowledged, that this guide is not altogether infallible, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/though-experience-be-our-only-guide-in-reasoning-concerning-matters/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## More by David Hume > [“Beauty in things exists in the mind that contemplates them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/beauty-in-things-exists-in-the-mind-that-contemplates-them/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“It is impossible for us to think of any thing, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/it-is-impossible-for-us-to-think-of-any-thing-which-we-have-not/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [All morality depends upon our sentiments; and when any action or quality of the mind pleases us after a certain manner we say it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/all-morality-depends-upon-our-sentiments-and-when-any-action-or/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. For if truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/and-indeed-nothing-but-the-most-determined-scepticism-along-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [...virtue is attended by more peace of mind than vice, and meets with a more favourable reception from the world. I am sensible, that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/virtue-is-attended-by-more-peace-of-mind-than-vice-and-meets-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [That the sun will not rise tomorrow is no less intelligible a proposition, and implies no more contradiction, than the affirmation, that it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/that-the-sun-will-not-rise-tomorrow-is-no-less-intelligible-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [We may conclude, therefore, that, in order to establish laws for the regulation of property, we must be acquainted with the nature and situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/we-may-conclude-therefore-that-in-order-to-establish-laws-for-the/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy, and meets us at every turn, in spite of our endeavours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-observation-of-human-blindness-and-weakness-is-the-result-of-all/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/manufacturers-gradually-shift-their-places-leaving-those-countries/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [We may observe that, in displaying the praises of any humane, beneficent man, there is one circumstance which never fails to be amply insisted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/we-may-observe-that-in-displaying-the-praises-of-any-humane/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“The most perfect happiness, surely, must arise from the contemplation of the most perfect object.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-most-perfect-happiness-surely-must-arise-from-the-contemplation/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“They all make up new species of crime and bring unhappiness in their train. When I hear a man is religious , I conclude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/they-all-make-up-new-species-of-crime-and-bring-unhappiness-in-their/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [There is not to be found, in all history, any miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good sense, education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/there-is-not-to-be-found-in-all-history-any-miracle-attested-by-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“But though there be naturally a wide difference in point of delicacy between one person and another, nothing tends further to encrease and improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/but-though-there-be-naturally-a-wide-difference-in-point-of-delicacy/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) [Explore all 487 David Hume quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## More Custom quotes > [My favorite event of the season is the Costume Institute Gala at the Met in May. To that I'll wear custom Vera Wang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-winston-wolkoff/my-favorite-event-of-the-season-is-the-costume-institute-gala-at-the/) [Stephanie Winston Wolkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-winston-wolkoff/) > [Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-the-course-opposite-to-custom-and-you-will-almost-always-do-well/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [What is philosophy but a continual battle against custom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-is-philosophy-but-a-continual-battle-against-custom/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [If God Was A Woman… Men would come with software to be custom designed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/if-god-was-a-woman-men-would-come-with-software-to-be-custom-designed/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Custom is custom: it is built of brass, boiler-iron, granite; facts, reasonings, arguments have no more effect upon it than the idle winds have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/custom-is-custom-it-is-built-of-brass-boiler-iron-granite-facts/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [We read that Adam and Methuselah lived so many centuries; at that time, it was the custom to marry in the family - marry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/we-read-that-adam-and-methuselah-lived-so-many-centuries-at-that-time/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [Many have original minds who do not think it - they are led away by custom!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/many-have-original-minds-who-do-not-think-it-they-are-led-away-by/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Custom, that unwritten law, By which the people keep even kings in awe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-davenport/custom-that-unwritten-law-by-which-the-people-keep-even-kings-in-awe/) Charles Davenport > [“The believer is not a slave to fashion. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-ameenah-bilal-philips/the-believer-is-not-a-slave-to-fashion/) Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips > [Mankind are apt to be strongly prejudicial in favor of whatever is countenanced by antiquity, enforced by authority, and race commends by custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/mankind-are-apt-to-be-strongly-prejudicial-in-favor-of-whatever-is/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [“The customs and practices of life in society sweep us along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-customs-and-practices-of-life-in-society-sweep-us-along/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“This man's spiritual power has been precisely this, that he has distinguished between custom and creed. He has broken the conventions, but he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/this-man-s-spiritual-power-has-been-precisely-this-that-he-has/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Custom may lead a man into many errors; but it justifies none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/custom-may-lead-a-man-into-many-errors-but-it-justifies-none/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Custom is a violent and treacherous school mistress. She, by little and lithe, slyly and unperceived, slips in the foot of her authority; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/custom-is-a-violent-and-treacherous-school-mistress-she-by-little-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) Browse all 148 Custom quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Custom, then, is the great guide of human life. 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