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Self as ultimate object

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Often appears with: the passions and the emotions · pride and humility · object versus cause · mutual cancellation · justice as a virtue

Usually: argument (1) · skepticism (1)

Quotable
“It is impossible a man can at the same time be both proud and humble; and where he has different reasons for these passions, as frequently happens, the passions either take place alternately; or if they encounter, the one annihilates the other, as far as its strength goes.” David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature · observation

A Treatise of Human Nature primary

David Hume · 1739
BOOK I OF THE UNDERSTANDING > PART I OF PRIDE AND HUMILITY (2/32)

Hume explains pride and humility as contrary passions with the same object (self) but different causes, arguing that only a distinct productive principle can raise one rather than cancelling both.

SECT. II OF PRIDE AND HUMILITY, THEIR OBJECTS AND CAUSES The passions of PRIDE and HUMILITY being simple and uniform impressions, it is impossible we can ever, by a multitude of words, give a just definition of them, or indeed of any of the passions. The utmost we can pretend to is a description of them, by an enumeration of such circumstances, as attend them: But as these words, PRIDE and humility, are of general u…