An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding — David Hume

But this obscurity in the profound and abstract philosophy is objected to not only as painful and fatiguing but as the inevitable source of uncertainty and error Here indeed lies the justest and most plausible objection against a considerable part of metaphysics that they are not properly a science but arise either from the fruitless efforts of human vanity which would penetrate into subjects utterly inaccessible to the understanding or from the craft of popular superstitions which being unable to defend themselves on fair ground raise these intangling brambles to cover and protect their weakness Chaced from the open country these robbers fly into the forest and lie in wait to break in upon every unguarded avenue of the mind and overwhelm it with religious fears and prejudices The stoutest antagonist if he remit his watch a moment is oppressed And many through cowardice and folly open the gates to the enemies and willingly receive them with reverence and submission as their legal sovereigns

Thus ends David Humes Enquiry concerning Human Understanding the definitive statement of the greatest philosopher in the English language His arguments in support of reasoning from experience and against the sophistry and illusion of religiously inspired philosophical fantasies caused controversy in the eighteenth century and are strikingly relevant today when faith and science continue to clash The Enquiry considers the origin and processes of human thought reaching the stark conclusion that we can have no ultimate understanding of the physical world or indeed our own minds In either sphere we must depend on instinctive learning from experience recognizing our animal nature and the limits of reason Humes calm and open minded scepticism thus aims to provide a new basis for science liberating us from the superstition of false metaphysics and religion His Enquiry remains one of the best introductions to the study of philosophy and this edition places it in its historical and philosophical context