Hume's Philosophy: Identity, God, and the Afterlife
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The Illusion of Self and Identity
Hume argues that the self is not a simple, enduring entity. The mind confuses the ideas of "identity" and "succession." Memory allows us to recall past impressions, creating a succession of different views. We then mistakenly ascribe these to a single "subject," confusing succession with identity. Hume rejects the idea of a soul, deeming the question of immortality superfluous.
Hume on God and Divine Substance
Hume's position on God aligns with his views on the world and the soul. In Section XI of "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding," he addresses God and the afterlife, considering criticisms of substance and causality. Hume denies the validity of metaphysical proofs for God's existence, asserting that such existence cannot be rationally demonstrated.
The Flawed Idea of Substance
If the idea of substance is a misconception because it lacks a corresponding impression, adjectives like "external," "thinking," or "infinite" do not make it any less false. Therefore, attempting to prove the existence of an infinite substance (God) through analysis and determination of substance is futile.
Critique of A Priori Arguments
"A priori" arguments, which proceed from cause to effect, rely on the principle of causality. Hume argues that this is an illegitimate use of the principle, as it is only valid within the realm of experience. We have no experience of God or an infinite substance as a cause, so we cannot ensure a necessary conjunction between it and its effects. We have never observed this conjunction in experience.
Critique of A Posteriori Arguments
Arguments "a posteriori," which proceed from effect to cause, suffer from the same defect. Hume specifically addresses the inconsistencies of the argument that infers the existence of an ultimate, ordering cause from the order of the world. He finds this argument unconvincing.