"Hume, David - Letter to a friend in Edinburgh [PG]" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hume David)

"if any pretend to define a Cause by saying it is something
productive of another, 'tis evident he would say nothing; for what
does he mean by Production? That we may define a Cause to be an
Object precedent and contiguous to another, and where all the
Objects resembling the former are placed in like Relations of
Precedency and Contiguity to these Objects that resemble the
latter; or, a Cause is an Object precedent and contiguous to
another, and so united with it, that the Idea of the one
determines the Mind to form the Idea of the other, and the
Impression of the one to form a more lively Idea of the other."

From these clear and plain Definitions he infers,

"That all Causes are of the same Kind; and there is no Foundation
for the Distinction betwixt efficient Causes, and Causes sine qua
non; or betwixt efficient Causes, and formal and material, and
exemplary, and final Causes: And that there is but one Kind of
Necessity, and the common Distinction betwixt Moral and Physical
is without any Foundation in Nature: And that the Distinction we
often make betwixt Power, and the Exercise of it, is equally
without Foundation: And that the Necessity of a Cause to every
Beginning of Existence, is not founded on any Arguments
demonstrative {10} or intuitive: And in fine, That any Thing may
produce any Thing; Creation, Annihilation, Motion, Reason,
Volition; all these may arise from one another, or from any other
Object we can imagine."

The curious Nostrum he often repeats, p. 430, 434. Again he tells us,

"That when we talk of any Being, whether of a Superior or Inferior
Nature, as endowed with a Power or Force proportioned to any
Effect, -- We have really no distinct Meaning, and make use only
of common Words, without any clear and determinate Ideas. And if
we have really no Idea of Power or Efficacy in any Object, or of
any real connection betwixt Causes and Effects, 'twill be to
little Purpose to prove that an Efficacy is necessary in all
Operations. We do not understand our own Meaning in talking so,
but ignorantly confound Ideas which are intirely distinct from
each other."

Again he says,

"The Efficacy or Energy of Causes is neither placed in the Causes
is neither placed in the Causes themselves, nor in the Deity, nor
in the Concurrence of these two Principles, but belongs entirely
to the Soul (or the Bundle of Perceptions) which considers the
Union of two or more Objects in all past Instances: 'Tis here that
the real Power of Causes is {11} placed, along with their
Connection and Necessity. And in fine, we may observe a
Conjunction or a Relation of Cause and Effect between different