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Introduction
In this essay, I will be analyzing the philosophical works of David Hume and Immanuel Kant and their views relating to the acquisition of knowledge, causality, and self. Throughout philosophy, philosophers have struggled in answering these questions in hopes of bettering our views of reality and ourselves. The arguments of Hume and Kant have contributed profoundly in how we view one's self and have made a monumental impact on the current philosophies of today. In analyzing the philosophies of Hume and Kant relating to the topics of knowledge, causality, and self, we can better understand their arguments as well as develop an overall conclusion into which philosophy is more accurate.
Arguments
Hume's argument in our acquisition of knowledge is that knowledge is fundamentally about perceptions. Within these perceptions are A) ideas, and B) impressions. Hume then argues that all ideas are ultimately copied from impressions, this thesis is known as Hume's Copy Thesis. He believes that all of our mental operations are physical, not rational, in nature. For example, If I were to hold an ice cube in my hand, the feeling of coldness my hand experiences from the ice cube is an impression, and then later during the day, If remembered that sensation of cold initiated by the ice cube, I would have what Hume considered an idea. The belief that ideas and impressions come from perception, however, is later argued to be incorrect by Kant...