PH 202 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Jargon, The Strongest, Logical Consequence

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Notes for Day 19
PERSONAL IDENTITY:
Derivability thesis: any idea has to be derived from some set of impressions
Hume came up with this in order to clear up any philosophical jargon
1st philosophical idea: the idea of substance
Hume turns to a different type of substance: the idea of the self
Based on the derivability thesis, does the idea of the self come from impressions of sensation or from
the impressions of reflection?
Hume realized that the idea of substance doesn't from either of these categories.
There are some philosophers, who imagine we are every moment intimately conscious of what we call
our SELF; that we feel its existence and its continuance in existence; and are certain, beyond the
evidence of a demonstration, both o its perfect identity and simplicity. The strongest sensation, the
most violent passion, say they, instead of distracting us from this view, only fix it the more intensely, and
make us consider their influence on self either by their pain or pleasure. To attempt a farther proof of
this ee to eake its eidee; sie o poof a e deid fo a fat, of hih e ae so
intimately conscious; nor is there any thing, of which we can be certain, if we doubt of this.
IN THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTION, HUME IS REFERING TO DESCARTES
For Descartes, the self is a substance that continues in existence; it's a simple continuous substance; we
can be certain of this by means of intuition; by means of thinking we are certain of our existence
THIS HIGHLIGHTED PORTION ALSO REFERS TO LOCKE, EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT THE
SELF IS A SIMPLE CONTINUOUS SUBSTANCE, BUT HE BELIEVES THAT WE CAN KNOW OF THE EXISTENCE
OF THE SELF USING INTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE AND NOT DEMONSTRATIVE KNOWLEDGE; BASICALLY THE
SELF CAN BE SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS BASED ON THE OUR INTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SELF, THE
SELF CANNOT BE DEMONSTRATED BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SUBSTANCE
Unluckily all these positive assertions are contrary to that very experience, which is pleaded for them,
nor have we any idea of self, after the manner it is hee eplaid. Fo fo hat ipessio oud this
idea e deid? This uestio tis ipossile to ase ithout a aifest otaditio ad asudit;
ad et tis a uestio, hih ust eessail e ased, if e oud hae the idea of self pass for
clear and intelligible. It must be some one impression, that gives rise to every real idea. But self or
peso is ot a oe ipessio, ut that to hih ou seeal ipessios ad ideas ae supposd to
have a reference. If any impression gives rise to the idea of self, that impression must continue
iaial the sae, tho the hole ouse of ou lies; sie self is supposd to eist afte that ae.
But there is no impression constant and invariable. Pain and pleasure, grief and joy, passions and
sensations succeed each other, and never all exist at the same time. It cannot, therefore, be from any of
these ipessios, o fo a othe, that the idea of self is deid; ad oseuetl thee is o suh
idea.
HUME IS SAYING THAT THERE IS THAT IMPRESSIONS ARE LACKING THE NOTION OF CONSTANCY IN
ORDER TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE IDEA OF THE SELF
THE IDEA OF THE SELF INCLUDES A SIMPLE CONTINUOUS SUBSTANCE (IN DESCARTES POINT OF VIEW)
THE VERY NOTION OF IMPRESSIONS THAT STAY THE SAME IS INCORRECT, WHICH CONTRADICTS THE
IDEA THAT THE IDEA OF THE SELF IS A SIMPLE CONTINUOUS SUBSTANCE OR EXISTENCE
IMPRESSIONS CAN BE SIMPLE OR COMPLEX, BUT THEY CANNOT BE CONTINUOUS BECAUSE THEY ARE
NOT CONSTANT THINGS
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Document Summary

Derivability thesis: any idea has to be derived from some set of impressions. Hume came up with this in order to clear up any philosophical jargon. Hume turns to a different type of substance: the idea of the self. Hume realized that the idea of substance doesn"t from either of these categories. The strongest sensation, the most violent passion, say they, instead of distracting us from this view, only fix it the more intensely, and make us consider their influence on self either by their pain or pleasure. In the highlighted portion, hume is refering to descartes. For descartes, the self is a substance that continues in existence; it"s a simple continuous substance; we can be certain of this by means of intuition; by means of thinking we are certain of our existence. This highlighted portion also refers to locke, even though he doesn"t believe that the.

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