Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding 1-20

In section one of this works Hume lays out the framework for his project and gives us two types of Philosophy: Moral Philosophy versus the Science of Human Nature. In his explanation of the Moral Philosophy he gives is 2 types of man which concludes of the first to be the Easy and Obvious or born for action and is influenced by “taste and sentiment and pursing one object in avoiding another, according to the value by which these objects seem to possess, and according to light in which they present themselves.” (1)  This type philosophy works to support our behaviors by using examples from everyday life. This then shows us examples of vice and virtue.  For Hume this is the common sense approach to philosophy. Then there is the Abstruse or the contemplative also known as the spirit of accuracy or progress.  Rather than addressing our behaviors we are urged to better understand the principals that let us choose our own behavior rather than counting on our common senses. He says this category of man we consider man in the light of the reasonable rather than an active being. I think it means to critique this type of philosophy. I think the reason that Hume finds a problem with the Abstruse philosophy is that often times we can be flawed it use from the simple fact that it conflicts with our common sense which I think are a very important aspect of human nature for Hume. A disadvantage Hume discusses would be on how we free ourselves from superstition and obscurity. He finds a solution to this problem through his use of “mental geography” of the mind and its parts. He then gives us the classes of perceptions. Our Ideas, then Impressions, classifying them in 2 parts as our external and internal expressions followed but his description of its relationship and functions. Hume admits against accurate and abstract philosophy explaining that they are not sciences, but rather a confused attempt to explain by means of blind prejudice what we do not know. One thing we have to address is that Hume is inheriting John Locke ideas, that we are a “tabula rosa” and Hume’s explanation between impressions and ideas clears up some misunderstandings found in Locke's rejection of innate ideas. Hume complains that Locke fails to clarify what he means either by "innate" or "idea."  For Hume impressions are innate and ideas are not. Hume then discusses the links that between ideas, asserting that all ideas are linked to other ideas. Hume then discusses in the next section the relationship between "relations of ideas" and "matters of fact” and cause and effect relationships. All sciences of Geometry, Algebra, and Arithmetic which house all logically true statements such as "5 + 7 = 12" and "all bachelors are unmarried" are relations of ideas. Matters of fact deal with experience: that the sun is shining, I went to class today, we have a term paper due are all matters of fact.