Hume on Problems of Knowledge – Some Epistemological Implications

Abstract

The subject of this paper are the three basic problems of knowledge formulated by the philosopher David Hume. These are: substance as category, causality, and induction. Hume has completely dissolved the notion of substance characteristic for the philosophy prior his time. He showed that experience is insufficient in establishing the necessity of causal connections. And, finally, the underlined the logical validity of indictive reasoning. Hume's understanding of human knowledge has far-reaching epistemological implications with a huge impact on the contemporary epistemology in particular and on philosophy in general.