April 26– From "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding" by David Hume (1748) (W is for witnesses)

 It's prom season!

April 26– From An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume (1748)

Summary: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

Commentary: 

Here's our pull summary for the day:

 'That no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous, than the fact, which it endeavours to establish; and even in that case there is a mutual destruction of arguments, and the superior only gives us an assurance suitable to that degree of force, which remains, after deducting the inferior.' 

 Somewhat earlier: 

 there is no species of reasoning more common, more useful, and even necessary to human life, than that which is derived from the testimony of men, and the reports of eye-witnesses and spectators.

Which gives us our W for Witness. We're now a bit more doubtful of eyewitnesses, but that feels like a whole 'nother topic.

And even earlier:

Though experience be our only guide in reasoning concerning matters of fact; it must be acknowledged, that this guide is not altogether infallible, but in some cases is apt to lead us into errors. 

I really appreciate this section. A lot of the philosophers talk about how reasoning is everything, but this seems to understate how you can sometimes reason incorrectly despite your best efforts.

Beyond that, pretty reasonable notes about the dangers of hearsay, how to find good evidence, etc. This quote is fun:

But it is nothing strange, I hope, that men should lie in all ages.

Very quoty today, not a ton of my own writing. I like Hume though, adding him to he list to come back to.