Реферат: Hume An Enquiry Concerning The Principles Of

each man feels

within himself is the standard of sentiment." (p.14) That is to say each person's

individual universe has

truths. These truths are based on reason. These truths/reasons are what help to

determine the person's

sentiment. However, it should be noted that because the reasons are NOT

necessarily the person's

sentiments, they do not motivate actions. One other reason why reason does not

impel action is because

reason is based on truths. Truths are never changing whereas sentiments are

dynamic and are in a

constant change of flux. At one moment, the criminal could feel sympathy for his

victims and decide to

spare a life, and the very next, the same criminal could become enraged at the pimple

on a hostage's

forehead and shoot him.

Of course these are extreme cases, but the point is clear. Reason would dictate that

only the first

action would be moral. If reason drove actions, then moral behavior would prevail and

there would be no

immoral actions and hence there would be no crimes. This shows how sentiments

can change as the

individual's perception of the universe changes. Obviously, the driving force behind

the criminal shooting

the victim because of a skin blemish is not one based on reason, but instead it is

based on feeling, emotion,

sentiment. Although it is an abstract idea and a seemingly tiny technicality, it is easy

to see that indeed

reason is not the ultimate motivator but instead sentiment is. ][][