Your English writing platform
Discover LudwigExact(7)
Hume appears to have assimilated the importance of Newton's third rule of reasoning (see section 4.5 below).
In the section on Hume's Rule of Reasoning (4.5), the significance of the absence of an equivalent to Newton's rule 4 in Hume's thought is explored.
Moreover, if Hume never read the third edition of the Principia, then this could help explain his lack of interest in Newton's fourth rule of reasoning which was added to the third edition (see section 4.5, Rules of Reasoning).
This echoes Newton's second rule of reasoning,[5] especially in its generalizing tendency, which Newton explicitly asserts in his third rule.[6] That is to say, in his fourth rule, Hume makes explicit what is implied by the simplicity of nature assumption in Newton's first rule:[7] that the same cause always produces the same effect.
These answers opened the way to pursing the true motions in a sequence of successive approximations, in the process of which continuing evidence could be brought to bear on the theory, potentially delimiting its exactness and its universal applicability in the manner Newton had noted in his fourth rule of reasoning.
It is less clear if Hume learned it from Newton because there is no evidence that he was acquainted with Newton's fourth rule of reasoning (added to the third edition of the Principia); there is no equivalent in Hume's rules of reasoning to Newton's fourth rule.
Similar(53)
In order to study good reasoning from the perspective of efficiency or success, strategic rules of reasoning must be considered.
As compared with definitory rules, strategic rules of reasoning have received relatively scant attention from logicians and philosophers.
This is, in fact, one of the major assumptions behind Hume's own Rules of Reasoning.
On the third account, psychology is essential to the justification of the rules of reasoning.
A version of it plays an important role in Hume's Rules of Reasoning as Hume's fourth rule.
Write better and faster with AI suggestions while staying true to your unique style.
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com