Question

Which among the following fundamental rationalist beliefs concerning the cause and effect relation does David Hume reject?

• A. Causes contain their effects.
• B. Causes entail their effects.
• C. There is necessary connection between cause and effect.
• D. Causal reasoning is not like demonstrative reasoning.

Hint:

David Hume challenges the rationalist belief in a necessary connection between cause and effect, suggesting that causality is not based on reason but on habit and experience.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, B, C

Step 1: Understanding Hume's view on causality.
David Hume, in his work on causality, argues that we cannot observe any necessary connection between cause and effect. He rejects the rationalist view that cause and effect are necessarily linked by some inherent power. Instead, he asserts that causal connections are derived from habit and custom, not from reason.
Step 2: Analyzing the options.
- (A) Causes contain their effects: This is a rationalist belief that Hume rejects, but it is not the one he focuses on in his critique of causality.
- (B) Causes entail their effects: Hume rejects this as well, as he argues that we cannot directly infer effects from causes with certainty.
- (C) There is necessary connection between cause and effect: This is the correct answer, as Hume explicitly rejects the idea of a necessary connection between cause and effect, stating that it cannot be observed through experience.
- (D) Causal reasoning is not like demonstrative reasoning: Hume actually emphasizes the difference between causal reasoning and demonstrative reasoning, so he does not reject this view.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (C) because Hume rejects the idea that there is a necessary connection between cause and effect.