In the present work I have explained and examined one aspect of David Hume's philosophy, his theory of cause. Hume admitted the genuineness of only two types of reasonings, i.e., reasonings concerning relations of ideas and reasonings concerning matters of fact. Deductive sciences like mathematics and logic contain the first kind of reasonings, and they progress a great length even without the help of sense experience. Material, natural or physical sciences, on the other hand, contain reasonings concerning matters of fact. Studies like school metaphysics and divine theology contain neither of these two types of reasonings. They, therefore, according to Hume, contain nothing but sophistry and illusion. Even, Hume would like to commit them to flames.
Now, since all of our reasonings concerning matters of fact are based on the knowledge of the relation of cause and effect, a theory of physical or natural science necessarily presupposes a theory of cause. Interestingly, Hume's theory of cause is quasi-identical with the theory of the theologians of the Middle Ages, and is based on the same assumption that all our knowledge is derived from sense-experience. Sense experience does not give us any idea of necessity; it only explains sequence of events. Therefore, causal connection cannot be regarded as a necessary connection. From this the theologians have sought to prove the possibility of a departure from natural cause of events, i.e. the possibility of miracles and the existence of God as the only author of the world. Hume rejected both these ideas. But, by what right? Hume should have established causal necessity before he could contest the claim of the theologians. In this matter, Kant is more insightful than Hume.
I have divided the whole work into five chapters. In chapter I, I have explained Hume's programme of philosophy. The purpose of this explanation is to ascertain the place of importance of Hume's theory of the relation of cause and effect in his system. In Chapter II, I have discussed Hume's theory of the way of ideas and the association of ideas. Hume's critics who are too willing to believe that his philosophy is entirely negative, try to show that he made a skeptical analysis of ideas. In their opinion, the purpose of Hume's analysis of ideas is to demonstrate that philosophers as well as common people make use of certain ideas in their judgements, such as the ideas of substance, cause, self or mind, body etc. which do not have an ontological basis. In Chapter III, I have discussed Hume's theory of reasoning, In Chapter IV, I have explained Hume's examination of the idea of cause, and Chapter V of the work is its concluding part.
I acknowledge my greatest of debts to my teacher, Dr. Gopal Chandra Khan, Professor of Philosophy, University of Burdwan, for his encouragement and for the many illuminating discussions with him on the problems I have dealt with. His criticisms and suggestions, as well as his comments on my writings, were of inestimable value to me.
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