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1 " study of human nature was in a sorry state. While he had reservations about the ancient philosophers for depending ‘more on Invention than Experience’, he found modern philosophers – "
― David Hume , The Essential Philosophical Works
2 " metaphysics by showing that these theories are not just false, but unintelligible. "
3 " Hume is indeed sceptical about the possibility of metaphysical insights that go deeper than science can, he is not at all sceptical about the prospect of a science of human nature. His critique of metaphysics clears the way for the constructive phase of his project: an investigation of ‘the proper province of human reason’, which Hume believes will lead to the development of an empirical science of human nature based on ‘the only solid foundation’ of experiment and observation. Metaphysics tempts us to think we can find principles that show us the ultimate nature of reality. "
4 " If the process fails at any point, the idea in question lacks cognitive content. When carried through successfully, however, it yields a ‘just definition’ – a precise account of the troublesome idea or term. Hume uses his account of definition in his project’s critical phase to show that the central concepts of traditional metaphysics lack any intelligible content. He also uses it in its constructive phase to determine the precise meaning of our terms and ideas. Our ideas are also regularly connected, and a science of human nature should account for this ‘secret tie or union’ among them. Hume explained this ‘union’ in terms of the mind’s natural ability to associate certain ideas. "
