What peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call thought, that we must thus make it the model of the whole universe? Our partiality in our own favour does indeed present it on all occasions; but sound philosophy ought carefully to guard against so natural an illusion.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Hume warns against assuming human thought is the model for the entire universe just because we think.
- In plain terms
- Don't assume the universe thinks like humans just because we do.
- What can you take from it?
- Avoid centering human experience in understanding the universe.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is the universe like us?
- How should we model reality?
Another view
It limits our ability to relate to the universe meaningfully.
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