HQ21

Class Responses and Instructor Comments

>From Israel Bodlander:

We understand cause and effect like if, you drop a pen it will one either fall or rise. we see from many occurences that the pen will fall. so by habit we will believe that the effect of dropping the pen is that it will fall. now from the pen keep falling we think for this custom that we understand the cause. We are not sure of the cause and only think that the pen will countinue to fall if you drop it through custom.

>rm says: This is a bit unclear, but, I think, close. Why are we not sure of the cause?

>From Michelle:

We base our predictions of results on past learned customs or habit. We make inferences based on what we have seen happen before. We therefore assume the same result will occur under the same circumstances again. We therefore, develop laws of nature because we believe there is cause and effect. Hume does not feel that we can predict cause and effect in this manner because laws can change. Hume also feels that the knowledge we obtain is through the senses which can not develop the law of gravity per se. He does not believe it is really possible to determine what will happen next yet he does acknowledge we tend to base our reality on customs and habits of past evidences and events.

>rm says: Nice. Now the question becomes, as I said in class (11/25): How do we know how to project our experiences into these predictive laws?

>From john:

Custom and habit allows us to understand what the effect might be, to some extent.

>rm says: Or, at least, what we think may be the effects.

>From Mildred:

"Regarding cause and effect; Their conjunction may be arbitrary and casual. There may be no reason to infer the existence of one from the appearance of the other. And in a word, such a person, without more experience, could never employ his conjecture or reasoning concerning any matter of fact, or be assured of any thing beyond what was immediately present to his memory and senses."

rm says: This quote seems more appropriate to the previous question.

Hume Reading Guide 21. What is the role of custom, or habit, in our understanding of cause and effect?		Back to Hume Reading Guide Back to Philosophy 101 Home Next Question
Enter your response to the above question, or to a previous response, in the form below, or use this email link. I will post your response on the right, and comment if I think I can be helpful. When emailing, instead of using the form, please indicate the question number. When using the form below, if you neglect to enter your name or email, I won't know who you are.	Class Responses and Instructor Comments >From Israel Bodlander: We understand cause and effect like if, you drop a pen it will one either fall or rise. we see from many occurences that the pen will fall. so by habit we will believe that the effect of dropping the pen is that it will fall. now from the pen keep falling we think for this custom that we understand the cause. We are not sure of the cause and only think that the pen will countinue to fall if you drop it through custom. >rm says: This is a bit unclear, but, I think, close. Why are we not sure of the cause? >From Michelle: We base our predictions of results on past learned customs or habit. We make inferences based on what we have seen happen before. We therefore assume the same result will occur under the same circumstances again. We therefore, develop laws of nature because we believe there is cause and effect. Hume does not feel that we can predict cause and effect in this manner because laws can change. Hume also feels that the knowledge we obtain is through the senses which can not develop the law of gravity per se. He does not believe it is really possible to determine what will happen next yet he does acknowledge we tend to base our reality on customs and habits of past evidences and events. >rm says: Nice. Now the question becomes, as I said in class (11/25): How do we know how to project our experiences into these predictive laws? >From john: Custom and habit allows us to understand what the effect might be, to some extent. >rm says: Or, at least, what we think may be the effects. >From Mildred: "Regarding cause and effect; Their conjunction may be arbitrary and casual. There may be no reason to infer the existence of one from the appearance of the other. And in a word, such a person, without more experience, could never employ his conjecture or reasoning concerning any matter of fact, or be assured of any thing beyond what was immediately present to his memory and senses." rm says: This quote seems more appropriate to the previous question.
Write your comments here: Your Name: Your email: