An Analysis of David Hume's Essay

In, “Of Scepticism with Regard to the Senses,” David Hume draws attention to what causes make us believe in the existence of physical objects.  Pertaining to this idea, the questions of why we assume objects have an existence distinct from the mind and perception and why we attribute a continued existence to objects even when we do not sense them arise.  Hume finds that these two ideas or questions have a certain connection because the objects' existence is independent and distinct from the perception if objects of our senses continue to exist, even when they are not perceived.  

Hume continues by stating that senses, reason, or the imagination can determine a continued or a distinct existence.  The senses cannot produce the opinion of a continued existence because they only provide us with a single, distinct perception.  They then produce the opinion of a distinct existence only by illusion.  Senses cannot operate beyond their own faculties of operation and therefore cannot give us a notion of continued existence.  However, they do produce a distinct existence because they cannot offer it to the mind in an original or represented form.  

Hume describes three types of impressions that are conveyed by the senses.  First, those that are believed to be of a distinct continued existence, which are figure, bulk, motion, and solidity of bodies.  Second, the dependent perceptions, which are colors, tastes, smells, sounds, and physical feelings.  Third, which are also dependent perceptions are the pleasures and pains that are produced by our bodies when they are in contact with objects.  

In general, philosophy stresses that everything that appears to the mind is a perception and is interrupted and dependent upon the mind.  We can never be assured of the continued and distinct existence of the body, by accepting that perceptions and objects are the same.  Because by doing this we would have too infer that the existence of one from another.