Hume's 'Enquiry concerning human understanding' (seminar)

David Hume believed in two types of modern philosophy.

The first type holds that a man is born for action, that he places value on objects in he context of which he observes them.

This type of philosophy is of the idealist, who remarks upon the most striking observations in life and thus gains the most fame and their works are not so quickly forgotten. 

The other type of philosophy is of philosophers who spend their days attempting to further their own understandings through constant speculation and inquiry despite the hardships they might endure.

The first type of philosophy is seen as easy and obvious, a philosophy that tries to shape mans behaviour whereas the second Hume views as Accurate, abstruse and profound which sees man more passively seeking only understanding which is what it attempts to provide.

He remarks this easy and obvious philosophy is thus more applicable to the masses who may use it to shape their own minds, hearts and actions which in turn gives the philosophy more longevity in the public eye. In contrast the profound cannot be so simply applied especially when the common man may find such works intelligible. He states this is why the works of Aristotle have been quickly forgotten and that of Locke will surely follow.  

Because men are satisfied with easy philosophy and with ignorance or wiling ignorance with roots in religion, superstition or lack of scientific knowledge, they choose to reject the accurate, abstruse and profound philosophy. 

Hume argues that we cannot have this easy philosophy without the profound for it provides the basis for the former. He explains this with the analogy of the anatomist and the painter; the former provides accuracy to what may be an ugly thing and from this the painter can evoke beauty and something more pleasurable to the untrained eye.

Hume states that science of the mind, body and its various faculties is always uncertain. Yet there are speculations which are beyond doubt such as the distinctions between will, imagination and understanding.

‘Of the origin of ideas’:
Hume states the perceptions of the mind can be divided into two classes according to their force and vivacity. The lesser of these are thoughts and ideas. The others are impressions i.e. our perceptions when we see, hear, feel, love/hate, desire or will.

He goes on to say that whilst it appears the human mind has limitless creativity Hume argues it is actually confined to very narrow limits. All ideas a man can have are of ideas and impressions which is similar to Locke’s own theories.

He offers the following proof of this argument: God, which we give all the qualities of virtue and perfection is simply that, conception formed by the ideas of kindness, wisdom etc and so this complex idea is simply a combination of ideas derived from similar impressions.

Further to this he asserts another argument which can be summarised as to say that if a person has not experienced certain impressions, they cannot develop ideas associated with them. For example a blind man has no idea of colour.

To this Hume provides the counter argument, that if a man has seen all shades of blue bar one, when presented with all these shades in order will his mind be able to construe the missing piece. Hume argues no.

He goes on to state that ideas, especially the abstract are naturally faint and obscure whereas impressions remain strong and vivid and the distinctions between them are far more clear than that of confounded ideas.