Today there exist several philosophical theories and concepts. These concepts explain to us different aspects of life and help us gain perspective. It helps us look at different things from different points of view.
It also helps us to either stay pessimistic or optimistic as these theories postulated by different scholars are different and they convey a variety of messages to the people.
Many scholars have explained different topics of life in different ways. Some theories postulated by some philosophers are well known, and they are implemented even today. Two of those philosophers are 1. Immanuel Kant, and 2. David Hume.
Key Takeaways
- Kant believed in a priori knowledge and the existence of synthetic a priori judgments, while Hume rejected this concept.
- Hume’s philosophy emphasizes empiricism, whereas Kant attempted to combine empiricism and rationalism.
- Hume proposed that cause and effect are derived from experience, while Kant argued that the concept of causality is a necessary condition for the experience.
Kant vs Hume
Kant believed in moral absolutism and that knowledge is based on innate mental categories. Hume asserted that all knowledge is derived from experience, he also held that moral values are subjective and dependent on emotion.
Immanuel Kant was a philosopher who was also an Enlightenment thinker. In the world of modern philosophy in the Western part, he is one of the most renowned and influential philosophers. He was born on 22 April 1724.
He was a believer that the source of morality is reason.
David Hume was also a philosopher. He was also a librarian, historian and economist. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 7 May 1711. He was a part of Western philosophy in the eighteenth century.
He believed that a thing’s reasoning and effect on another result from mental habits.
Comparison Table
| Parameters Of Comparison | Immanuel Kant | David Hume |
|---|---|---|
| Born on | 22 April 1724 | 7 May 1711 |
| Born in | Russia | Scotland |
| Conception of morals | Rational | Empirical |
| Died on | 12 February 1804 | 25 August 1776 |
| Era | Age of Enlightenment | 18th century |
Who is Immanuel Kant?
Immanuel Kant was one of the most renowned philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. He was born on 22 April 1724 in what is now known as Russia. He believed that space and time are just some types of intuitions built by humans.
He also believes that the nature of different things that exist around due is completely unknown to us.
Immanuel Kant was born in a family where his father used to make harnesses, and he was the fourth child out of nine children. When Immanuel Kant learned Hebrew, he changed his name’s spelling.
He was raised in a family where education was the top priority and his parents made him live a disciplined life. His entire family was devoted and spiritual and beloved of the teachings from the Bible.
Immanuel Kant was one of the most rational philosophers. Between the years 1750 and 1754, he worked as a tutor after 1740. Later he was introduced to some scientific subjects like physics.
His works in the field of ethics and metaphysics are well-known in many parts of the world. He also put forth other arguments regarding other subjects as well.
Kant was an established and well-known scholar by the time he was 46. In the year 1739, Kant, in one of his works, argued that the reality of several concepts like objects and morality is questioned as they are not experienced evidently.
He isolated himself from his friends to study these theories.
Who is David Hume?
David Hume was a philosopher who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was born on 7 May 1711. In the region of Western philosophy, he was a philosopher in the eighteenth century, apart from being a philosopher and historian.
David Hume used to write essays on various topics as well.
David Hume was one of the most influential British philosophers like George Berkeley and Francis Bacon.
He strived hard enough to postulate a theory that entailed the science of the existence of man and the nature and different traits of a human being in a naturalistic manner.
He was a firm believer that human nature and various human attributes are the roots of the experience the human being has had. David Hume was an alma mater of The University of Edinburgh.
He also believed that ethics are based completely on the respective feeling or sentiments and not on morals or principles.
He believed that instead of being a rationalist and thinking differently about reason, passion is the governing factor in a human being’s existence.
The thing or concept that keeps a human being passionate or which a human being is passionate about is more governing than any other reason that a human being tends to believe.
Main Differences Between Kant and Hume
- The full name of Kant is Immanuel Kant, on the other hand, the full name of Hume is David Hume.
- Immanuel Hume was born in Russia, on the other hand, David Hume was born in Edinburgh, Scotland.
- Immanuel Kant was born on 22 April 1724, on the other hand, David Hume was born on 7 May 1711.
- Immanuel Kant was a philosopher in the era of the Age of Enlightenment, on the other hand, David Hume was a philosopher in the era of the eighteenth century.
- Immanuel Kant had a rational conception about morals, on the other hand, David Hume had an empiric conception of morals.
- Immanuel Kant died on 12 February 1804, on the other hand, David Hume died on 25 August 1776.
- https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume/?utm_source=ILL&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=famouslibrs
- https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/?rid=903123293s840c38
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
This doesn’t provide any valuable information. The writing is too verbose and does not offer any real insights.
It is amazing to see the way these great philosophers have impacted our understanding of the world. Learning from their teachings is priceless in today’s age.
This philosophical analysis is too shallow. We need to delve deeper into their works to truly understand their impact on philosophy.
I agree. It’s just scratching the surface and doesn’t provide the desired depth.
The article could benefit from a more critical approach, given the complexity of the subject matter.
This article is possibly the most complete and comprehensive explanation of Kant and Hume’s differences.
The comparison between Kant and Hume is not convincing enough. The arguments presented are not substantial or thoroughly explored.
What an interesting and informative approach to comparing Kant and Hume. Plus, the historical context provided adds richness to the discussion.
Absolutely! The insightful comparison table adds a lot of value to the content.
I enjoyed the discussion on the rational vs. empiric conception of morals. It’s thought-provoking and provides a fresh perspective.