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Hume's Metaphysical Musicians

Hume's Metaphysical Musicians Hume's Metaphysical Musicians E. W. Van Steenburgh Hume Studies, Volume 18, Number 2, November 1992, pp. 151-154 (Article) Published by Hume Society DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/hms.2011.0432 For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/388501/summary Access provided at 17 Feb 2020 18:31 GMT from JHU Libraries Hume's Metaphysical Musicians E. W. Van Steenburgh Having argued to the possible existence ofmathematical points, Hume concedes that checking for their actual existence is difficult because of the minuteness. He writes: the points, which enter into the composition of any line or surface, whether perceiv'd by the sight or touch, are so minute and so confounded with each other, that'tis utterly impossible for the mind to compute their number.1 He concludes that their minuteness renders points useless for purposes ofmeasurement. "We are sensible, that the addition or removal ofone of these minute parts, is not discernible either in the appearance or measuring" (T 48). This objection to his points leads Hume to view measuring, not in terms ofpoints, but asjuxtaposition ofobjects one to another or to a common measure, correcting apparent equality by art and instruments. And, he argues, correcting comes to an end when one runs out of art and instruments, although correcting, once set in http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Hume Studies Hume Society

Hume's Metaphysical Musicians

Van Steenburgh, E. W.
Hume Studies , Volume 18 (2) – Jan 26, 2011
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Publisher
Hume Society
ISSN
1947-9921

Abstract

Hume's Metaphysical Musicians E. W. Van Steenburgh Hume Studies, Volume 18, Number 2, November 1992, pp. 151-154 (Article) Published by Hume Society DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/hms.2011.0432 For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/388501/summary Access provided at 17 Feb 2020 18:31 GMT from JHU Libraries Hume's Metaphysical Musicians E. W. Van Steenburgh Having argued to the possible existence ofmathematical points, Hume concedes that checking for their actual existence is difficult because of the minuteness. He writes: the points, which enter into the composition of any line or surface, whether perceiv'd by the sight or touch, are so minute and so confounded with each other, that'tis utterly impossible for the mind to compute their number.1 He concludes that their minuteness renders points useless for purposes ofmeasurement. "We are sensible, that the addition or removal ofone of these minute parts, is not discernible either in the appearance or measuring" (T 48). This objection to his points leads Hume to view measuring, not in terms ofpoints, but asjuxtaposition ofobjects one to another or to a common measure, correcting apparent equality by art and instruments. And, he argues, correcting comes to an end when one runs out of art and instruments, although correcting, once set in

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Hume Studies – Hume Society

Published: Jan 26, 2011

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