"Be a philosopher but, amid all your philosophy be still a man"
- David Hume
About this Quote
This quote by David Hume encourages us to think deeply and critically about the world around us, however to likewise keep in mind to stay grounded in our humankind. He is suggesting that we ought to aim to be sensible and thoughtful, but not to the point where we forget our own mankind. We must have the ability to believe deeply and objectively about the world, but likewise have the ability to feel sorry for others and acknowledge our own emotions. Hume is suggesting that we should make every effort to be sensible and thoughtful, but also be able to recognize our own feelings and the feelings of others. He is motivating us to be open-minded and to believe critically, but likewise to be compassionate and understanding. He is reminding us that we must aim to be wise and thoughtful, but likewise to be kind and understanding. Simply put, Hume is suggesting that we ought to make every effort to be smart and thoughtful, however also to be kind and understanding.
"I think philosophers can do things akin to theoretical scientists, in that, having read about empirical data, they too can think of what hypotheses and theories might account for that data. So there's a continuity between philosophy and science in that way"
"What I mean by photographing as a participant rather than observer is that I'm not only involved directly with some of the activities that I photograph, such as mountain climbing, but even when I'm not I have the philosophy that my mind and body are part of the natural world"
