What did David Hume divide knowledge into?
Q: What did David Hume divide knowledge into?
A: David Hume divided knowledge into two categories: “relations of ideas”, and “matters of fact”.
Q: What are “relations of ideas”?
A: “Relations of ideas” are truthful and correct statements, such as “all unmarried men are bachelors”.
Q: What are “matters of fact”?
A: “Matters of fact” are statements that we are nearly certain are truthful but there is still a chance for it to be false, such as “the sun will rise in the morning”.
Q: Why is there a chance that “matters of fact” might be false?
A: There is a chance that “matters of fact” might be false because they are based on empirical observations that can always be contradicted by further observations.
Q: Can "matters of fact" be entirely proven?
A: "Matters of fact" cannot be entirely proven, as their truth can always be undermined by new observations or knowledge.
Q: What are some examples of “relations of ideas”?
A: Some examples of “relations of ideas” are: 1) All triangles have three sides, 2) Two plus two equals four, 3) The sum of the angles in a triangle equals 180 degrees.
Q: What are some examples of “matters of fact”?
A: Some examples of “matters of fact” are: 1) The earth revolves around the sun, 2) The boiling point of water at sea level is 100°C, 3) The oldest known pyramid in Egypt was built around 2630 BCE.
