David Hume, Enquiry Concerning Understanding | The Principle of Custom or Habit | Core Concepts

[@RaraAvis42]

I do at times think about what the experience of having all those realizations that culminated in the Enquiry was like for David Hume. The experience of seeing things that others do not is a tricky thing! Sure, philosophers are heady, high-flying people, but the radical nature of Hume's thought cannot be underestimated. The fact that Fortune brought forth within him all that and allowed him to keep his sanity is rare. I left off formal study of philosophy 30 years ago, but after experiencing a "spiritual awakening" or "direct knowing of Divine Grace" about three years ago that flipped my world upside down, I found myself remembering Hume. As a bonus, I finally understood why Harold Bloom also took comfort in Hume during his internal crisis. In my mind's eye, I also often imagine Hume performing a modern day mic drop once he laid out his truly radical ideas. As we know, none of his contemporaries were actually "at" that performance and it took some time for even Kant to hear the echos of the thudding mic. And as we know, he then wrote a popular, much lauded, and seminal history of England. Ah, to experience such fortune again, yet in such a radically different way! I picture him absolutely loving that little turn of events and him guffawing often at Life. Thanks for the lecture, Dr. Sadler! A very fine job once again.

[@GregoryBSadler]

Hume's philosophy is quite bit less radical than it often seems. The section discussed here is a prime example. Sure, there's no experience of cause and effect, but that's ok. Custom steps in. And it's pretty much the same for all humanity, in Hume's view, since we all have the same human nature

[@RaraAvis42]

@@GregoryBSadler Yes, custom steps in. There's a stabilizing and one can see how we can't get "beyond" in any real sense , so all is well (Wittgenstein). However, we're talking here of a condensed written text where the rug gets pulled and quickly gets replaced. It's a type of second-hand experience where you sit with a book and read deeply. (I can recall clearly the exact table where I sat in the library puzzling out his thought.) But what if the experience of realizing the fallacy of cause and effect is directly and spontaneously experienced? It can last for quite a bit longer than a paragraph and it can be a bit of a magic carpet ride, to say the least. From what I've seen, most people can do the whole swapping of cause and effect and maintain a type of stable sanity. (It's the thoughtful freshman in college smoking pot or dropping acid for the first time. Or the LoA/non-dual folks puzzling stuff out.) But to have the entire edifice evaporate in the midst of everyday life without custom quickly coming to the rescue? Yeah, that's a very different type of thing. I can't picture Hume's world not getting completely rocked by what he realized. Hume didn't read Hume. But it's refreshing, right, to grant a true respect for the singular experience(s) of people? To understand the tightrope act they performed to get across the valley? Breathes life into these old, dusty things--these books we read and we say "Ah, nice move there, mate, but what's the big deal? Onward to Kant!" Again, on a personal note, I had no idea what desire was birthed in me back in college and how that desire would one day be fulfilled. To answer that question, I was placed on a creative edge and had myself erased enough so that the flow of insight could consume the space where once there was a person without any guarantee she'd return. Impossible to capture in language, although Rumi does a fairly bang-up job. But when that particular ride was over (the experience of "reading philosophy backwards through life experience" is ongoing for me, thank God [quite literally]), I laughed and said in that bittersweetly understated way we do when we bring things back into digestible form, "well, now I understand Hume!" Which felt a bit like seeing a T-shirt that says "I went to Transcendence and all I got was this lousy Scotsman" :D

[@drunkphilosopher9575]

Yes! Yes! We’re back to Hume again. This is such a pleasant surprise. Thanks for the video 😁😁😁.

[@GregoryBSadler]

You’re welcome - and yes, I’ve got some Hume stuff I didn’t manage to get to last semester that needs some video discussion

[@thefinnishbolshevik2404]

Great to see more Hume stuff!

[@GregoryBSadler]

Plenty more to come this summer

[@OspreyFlyer]

@@GregoryBSadler 👍

[@rudig5698]

This is actually so inspiring and gave me many ideas for my own work, thank you so much!😍🥰

[@GregoryBSadler]

Glad to read it

[@theproofessayist8441]

Thank you sir. I love Hume!

[@GregoryBSadler]

Glad you enjoy the videos

[@ezras7997]

I hope this lasts forever, You make wonderful videos also and I wear that exact same tie, I’m glad to see we have so much in common.

[@GregoryBSadler]

You mean that the videos stay on KZbin forever? Who knows what this medium will look like 20 years from now

[@ezras7997]

Gregory B. Sadler hopefully yes

[@optilizmus]

Where in the Enquiry can I find the example of the two people? I am writing an essay on Hume's custom and habit and I'd love to include this !

[@GregoryBSadler]

Says right in the thumbnail what section this is about

[@Retrogamer71]

Patreon Sponsor's Subscription Hyperlink ... 0:48 "custom or habit", how very discerning. 3:40 he's certainly right about the fragility of reason in the face of nature.

[@GregoryBSadler]

Not sure what point you mean to make about being "discerning"

[@Retrogamer71]

@@GregoryBSadler 'discerning - a mode of philosophical inquiry likely to uncover truths from subtle differentiation.

[@GregoryBSadler]

Yep. Still no idea what point you’re trying to make

[@jesswright1414]

👏👏👏

[@GregoryBSadler]

thanks!