David Hume

David Hume

Passion vs Reason

PASSION

REASON

The key thing we need to get right in life is feeling rather than rationality.

Trying to be rational about everything is a special kind of madness.

Reason is the slave of passion

We are more motivated by our feelings than by any result of analysis and logic.

We decide whether someone is admirable, what to do with our free time, what constitutes a successful career, or who to love on the basis of feeling above anything else.

We find an idea nice or threatening and on that basis alone declare it true or false, reasoning only comes in later and just to support the original statement.

Hume didn't believe that all feelings are acceptable and equal, that's why he firmly believed in the education of the passions. People have to learn to be more benevolent, more patient, and less afraid of others. But to be taught these things they need an education system that addresses feelings rather than reason.