Article Review – David Hume : Causation

Out of all known empiricist that lived in the Early Modern epoch, David Hume (1711-1776) and his ideas have survived the test of time. He is particularly known for his rigorous application of empirical standards that posit that no innate idea exists and that the origin of all knowledge can eventually be traced back to experience (Hume 12). It is because of this notion and perspective that would go ahead to make him institute causation and necessity. Through this article, the reader obtains an in-depth elaboration of all the empirical foundations that ultimately drove Hume to his own account of the notion of causation (“Hume, David: Causation | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy”). Additionally, the article succinctly details all possible definition of causation and how he makes use of his insights.

The article offers material rich in information and arranged systematically to allow the reader better understand the finer details encapsulated in cause and effect, it is divided into six crucial tenets. The first one deals with the position that causation occupies in Hume’s taxonomy, detailing his vital contribution to causation and the philosophy behind it, and examining the relationship between cause and effect and human reasoning. Secondly, the discourse shifts to the connection Hume’s proposition has and the two definitions that he brought forth. Here, the bifurcation of all known objects of knowledge is used especially in regard to matters of fact and relations of the idea. The third tenet expertly tackles the Problem of Induction, describing this skeptical argument in detail. It is important to note that Hume’s insights that focused mainly on experience having the ability to limit one’s casual knowledge get a meticulous elucidation. Casual reductionism then features as the translation of Hume’s causation through reductionism. It is only through reductionism that one can explain the theories of causation as presented by Hume. Fourthly, we have Casual skepticism which seeks to interpret Hume’s position by use of epistemic interpretation as opposed to ontology. Lastly, Casual realism that introduces all interpretive tools needed to avoid arbitrary conclusions while bolstering the notion of causation.

In conclusion, the article provides a detailed account of Hume’s work on cause and effect while systematically arranging the various points of views to give a clear account of his vantage point. The article is particularly important to aficionados of Philosophy who loath superficial overviews as it gets down to the nitty grits of Hume’s position. Additionally, it also offers references segment for further reading so as to better understand the subject matter.

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