An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

by David Hume

Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.

In vain do we hope, that men, from frequent disappointment, will at last abandon such airy sciences, and discover the proper province of human reason.

The most lively thought is still inferior to the dullest sensation.

And impressions are distinguished from ideas, which are the less lively perceptions, of which we are conscious, when we reflect on any of those sensations or movements above mentioned.

all our ideas or more feeble perceptions are copies of our impressions or more lively ones.

The idea of God, as meaning an infinitely intelligent, wise, and good Being, arises from reflecting on the operations of our own mind, and augmenting, without limit, those qualities of goodness and wisdom.