GCSE Philosophy and Ethics Practice Exam

Which philosopher argued that the universe's uniqueness makes analogies to explain it impossible?

1. David Hume

2. William Paley

3. Immanuel Kant

4. René Descartes

The correct answer is: David Hume

David Hume argued that the uniqueness of the universe limits our ability to make reliable analogies to explain it. His skepticism about human reason and the capacity to draw conclusions from empirical evidence leads him to suggest that because the universe is not only vast but also singular in its nature, we cannot rely on comparisons to other known entities or experiences. This philosophical stance stems from his views on causation and induction, where he posits that we cannot assume that future or unknown phenomena will behave like known ones due to a lack of evidence for such patterns in the unique fabric of reality. This perspective creates a challenge for any attempted analogy, as it inherently assumes a homogeneity that Hume contends does not exist in our understanding of the universe.