David Hume
1
7.2
- proper noun
- /ˈdeɪvɪd hjuːm/
- In his writings, David Hume questioned the existence of causality as we intuitively understand it.
Examples
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The ideas of David Hume have had a lasting impact on modern philosophy.
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Have you read David Hume's works on empiricism?
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David Hume is often cited as a founder of modern empiricism in philosophy.
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Many scholars have debated David Hume's views on the limitations of human reason.
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Many consider David Hume the father of modern philosophy.
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Many scholars study David Hume to understand his views on skepticism.
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In his work, David Hume challenged the notion of causality in unique ways.
Synonyms
9
9.1
A Scottish philosopher who said human knowledge comes from the senses and doubted ideas without proof
Surface Forms
Morphology
David + Hume
This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the parts 'David' (a common given name) and 'Hume' (a surname) does not allow a learner to infer that the phrase denotes the 18th‑century Scottish philosopher. Proper names are referential and non‑compositional, so the meaning cannot be derived from the constituent words.
Etymology
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher who said most ideas come from what we see, hear, and touch — from 'experience'. He also doubted that we can ever be sure that one thing causes another, so he is remembered for asking hard questions about how we know things.