David Hume

Part I of Essay
Eric Tarr 1. Hume says, “If we would satisfy ourselves, therefore, concerning the nature of that evidence, which assures us to matters of fact, we must enquire how we arrive at the knowledge of cause and effect.” Hume then makes the claim that; “knowledge of this relation ....

Part II of Essay
.... any object or cause, as it appears to the mind, independent of all observations, it never could suggest to us the notion of any distinct object, such as its effect; mush less, show us the inseparable and inviolable connexion between them. A man must be very sagacious who could discover by reasoning that crystal is the effect of heat, and ice and cold, without being previously acquainted with the operation of these qualities.” Therefore, cause and effect is learned through experience. 2. The circular reasoning in Section IV, Part II, par ....