To fully understand what Hume means by reason, he begins by discussing “relations of ideas” and “matters of fact” Relations of ideas are a priori, meaning they are statements that are independent of experience. Consider the following statements: Octagons have 8 sides; All brothers are male; 3+5=8. These are all “relations of ideas”. Hume argues that this type of statement cannot be what our reason and knowledge are based on because this knowledge has no basis in past or experience and therefore cannot guide us in the future. Hume calls this type of reason “matters of fact”. The reason Hume identifies is a posteriori, meaning that it can be known only after the fact. One can only judge morality after they have first gathered all the evidence and information about the
To fully understand what Hume means by reason, he begins by discussing “relations of ideas” and “matters of fact” Relations of ideas are a priori, meaning they are statements that are independent of experience. Consider the following statements: Octagons have 8 sides; All brothers are male; 3+5=8. These are all “relations of ideas”. Hume argues that this type of statement cannot be what our reason and knowledge are based on because this knowledge has no basis in past or experience and therefore cannot guide us in the future. Hume calls this type of reason “matters of fact”. The reason Hume identifies is a posteriori, meaning that it can be known only after the fact. One can only judge morality after they have first gathered all the evidence and information about the