"Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous."
— David Hume (A Treatise of Human Nature)

"Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty."
— David Hume

"Reading and sauntering and lounging and dosing, which I call thinking, is my supreme Happiness."
— David Hume

"Epicurus's old questions are still unanswered: Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? then whence evil?"
— David Hume (Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion)

"Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions."
— David Hume

"The truth springs from arguments amongst friends."
— David Hume

"A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence. "
— David Hume (An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding)

"...no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous, than the fact, which it endeavors to establish."
— David Hume (An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding & An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals)

"He is happy whose circumstances suit his temper, but he is more excellent who can suit his temper to his circumstance."
— David Hume

"As every inquiry which regards religion is of the utmost importance, there are two questions in particular which challenge our attention, to wit, that concerning its foundation in reason, and that concerning it origin in human nature."
— David Hume (The Natural History of Religion)

"Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them."
— David Hume (A Treatise of Human Nature)

"When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities."
— David Hume

"If we take in our hand any volume; of divinity or school metaphysics, for instance; let us ask, Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion."
— David Hume

"Where am I, or what? From what causes do I derive my existence, and to what condition shall I return? ... I am confounded with all these questions, and begin to fancy myself in the most deplorable condition imaginable, environed with the deepest darkness, and utterly deprived of the use of every member and faculty.

Most fortunately it happens, that since Reason is incapable of dispelling these clouds, Nature herself suffices to that purpose, and cures me of this philosophical melancholy and delirium, either by relaxing this bent of mind, or by some avocation, and lively impression of my senses, which obliterate all these chimeras. I dine, I play a game of backgammon, I converse, and am merry with my friends. And when, after three or four hours' amusement, I would return to these speculations, they appear so cold, and strained, and ridiculous, that I cannot find in my heart to enter into them any farther."
— David Hume (An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding)

"Stercus accidit."
— David Hume

"For my part, when I enter most intimately into what I call myself, I always stumble on some particular perception or other, of heat or cold, light or shade, love or hatred, pain or pleasure. I never can catch myself at any time without a perception, and never can observe any thing but the perception…. If any one, upon serious and unprejudic'd reflection thinks he has a different notion of himself, I must confess I can reason no longer with him. All I can allow him is, that he may be in the right as well as I, and that we are essentially different in this particular. He may, perhaps, perceive something simple and continu'd, which he calls himself; tho' I am certain there is no such principle in me."
— David Hume (A Treatise of Human Nature)

"Tis not unreasonable for me to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger."
— David Hume (A Treatise of Human Nature)

"Če smo prepričani, da ogenj greje ali da voda osvežuje, je to zgolj zato, ker bi nas misliti drugače stalo preveč bolečine."
— David Hume

"A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume

"Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them."
— David Hume

"Carelessness and in-attention alone can afford us any remedy. For this reason I rely entirely upon them."
— David Hume

"We make allowance for a certain degree of selfishness in men; because we know it to be inseparable from human nature, and inherent in our frame and constitution. By this reflexion we correct those sentiments of blame, which so naturally arise upon any opposition."
— David Hume (A Treatise of Human Nature)

"I cannot forbear adding to these reasonings an observation, which may, perhaps, be found of some importance. In every system of morality, which I have hitherto met with, I have always remark’d, that the author proceeds for some time in the ordinary way of reasoning, and establishes the being of a God, or makes observations concerning human affairs; when of a sudden I am surpriz’d to find, that instead of the usual copulations of propositions, is, and is not, I meet with no proposition that is not connected with an ought, or an ought not. This change is imperceptible; but is, however, of the last consequence."
— David Hume (A Treatise of Human Nature)

"When anyone tells me that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself whether it be more probable that this person should either deceive or be deceived or that the fact which he relates should really have happened. I weigh the one miracle against the other and according to the superiority which I discover, I pronounce my decision. Always I reject the greater miracle. If the falsehood of his testimony would be more miraculous than the event which he relates, then and not till then, can he pretend to command my belief or opinion."
— David Hume