Monday, November 30, 2009
Hume
Hume's rationalization of custom and human expectation are, what I feel to be, a more specific and concise stance on how we as people are naturally programed to function. We are not only creatures of habit, but creatures that perpetuate habit. It is the relationship of cause and effect which for a long time, drove our species to continue to exist. Fundamentally, cause and effect is a scientific way of drawing conclusions but where Hume interjects is that even our most accurate cause and effect relations are limited by the scope of expectation. I do agree with Hume that custom is not and should not be definite as the statement "a scientific and rigid approach to a situation is the only accurate method of observation" is in itself, unscientific. The issue is that to abandon custom is, like Hume also states, usually foolish. Realistically, we have seen the sun rise and fall on the horizon before--it is documented in our minds as habit. Just because this phenomena is habit, however, does not guarantee its perpetuation. I can expect the sun to rise and fall tomorrow, but that does not make it fact.
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I remember getting into an argument with a friend about this. I was arguing for some kind of absolute reality. As we progressed I eventually asked, "well, what's to say that it isn't possible you could simply just fall through the earth as if matter ceased to be solid?" He said, that is quite possible, and that there is no way to guarantee it wouldn't happened. It seems that logic often finds itself resulting in seemingly absurd conclusions. Only the result, perhaps, of reason contesting custom.
ReplyDeleteYour claim that 'We are not only creatures of habit, but creatures that perpetuate habit' is fascinating, Brendan -- I think you're right, though I'd love to hear more about what you mean. Hume doesn't quite go here in the piece we read, and perhaps this isn't where you would want to go either, but I think of our tendency to *willfully* misunderstand at times because it is easiest, or because it serves some purpose for us. For instance, many Americans will disregard much of 'Fahrenheit 9/11's (purported) factual claims because of the uneasy implications it has for them (and others may be *too* ready to believe its claims, without supporting evidence). In a general sense, we do not just passively follow habits, or perceive the world; we help create these habits and out perceptions of the world.
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