date

9 Nov r 1811 Evidence 1. Theoretic
9 Nov r 1811

Evidence

1. Theoretic

Ch Persuasive Causes

§.2 Hume's vividness

4

The idea or image—lodged by a matter of fact in the mind may to any degree be faint, and at the same time the belief of its existence of its first existence at the time and place in question be of the firmest texture. When for this or any other purpose the memory is employed to bring back into the mind such of the incidents of his life for which this sort of occasional [...?] has been provided, the degrees of vividness in which they present themselves vary upon a long scale of gradation terminating in 0 yet all of them equally accompanied with the persuasion of their existence: or if in this or that instance a doubt of the accuracy of the memory in this respect happen[s] to present itself it is not by the comparative vividness of the impression but by something very different that the doubt is suggested. Of the same matter of fact any given recollection will sometimes present itself as correct at other times as incorrect, i.e. as conformable to the original conception which formed the pattern to it, but when it presents itself as correct the impression in the mind will not be more vivid that in the opposite case.
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    According to David Hume alone of any supposed matter of fact the idea which his plan in a mans mind is to a certain degree vivid, the supposed matter of fact is by that same man believed: if the vividness has not risen to that necessary degree, the matter of fact is not believed, belief in regard to it has no place.

    On this occasion the state of the mind called disbelief seems scarcely to have presented itself to his notice: by the affirmative phases of persuasion viz the opposite case belief his attention seems to have been engrossed. Had the two equally existing modes of persuasion obtained each of them that equal/share of attention which was its due, the need of looking out for some common term, equally applicable to both, such as the word persuasion would naturally have presented itself to so acute a mind.

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    Delivered by a trustworthy hand a report made to me in the loosest and most general terms suffices in many instances to produce in my mind a persuasion of the truth of it sufficiently strong for every practical purpose, of the truth of it. Compared with that of the impression made in my mind by a scene in one of Richardson's or M rs Radcliffes works the impression made by the relation of this true fact shall have been altogether faint and next to imperceptible.

    The imagination may to any degree be affected and distorted while the judgment remains unmoved. Vampires Ghosts [...?] Church Yard

    Any recollection of the truth of which at the same time that whether through [...?] or any other cause it has been rendered faint, he has no doubt, let him compare it with any scene with which he happens to have been particularly struck in a romance a novel or a play, and then say whether it be vividness of the conception or memory that produces belief, and faintness disbelief.
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    In the character of materials constituting the foundation of persuasion affirmative and disaffirmative—in other words in the character of causes of belief and disbelief—belief and disbelief in general and therefore in particular as applied to testimony, other principles, differing from this and from one another have been presented by other hands. Of each of them, for the purpose of illustration, viz for the purpose to plan the above account in the clearer point of view, some account of each of them may have its use: some account and in each instance in very brief one, it is supposed may suffice.