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137 the impressions we have of any physical objects are derived from the physical objects themselves but the knowledge or reality of those objects are not given rather their impressions and so are not known. This invariably is the denial of the existence of the physical objects and ultimately, the external world. This is phenomenalism in Hume‟s theory that the physical world cannot be said to exist in themselves but as a perpetual phenomena. We can only have knowledge of impressions given to us from perceptual or sensory objects. However the understanding of Hume‟s theory of ideas will help to note the philosophical undertone of his metaphysical rejection.

Over now to the discussion of Hume on association of ideas.

138 sensation arises from the soul originally from unknown cause while reflection is derived in great measure from our idea.

By association of ideas, Hume meant the principle by which our ideas are related to each other;

impressions which we originally derive from sensation can be repeated as ideas in various ways;

by memory and by imagination. He therefore made distinction of ideas of memory and ideas of imagination. The ideas of memory are much more lively and strong than those of the imagination; it is tied to the simple ideas. Memory paints its objects in more distinct colours than any which are employed by imagination. „„When we remember any past event, the idea of it flows in upon the mind in a forcible manner. The idea of memory Hume claimed, preserves not only simple ideas but also their order and position. This means that our impressions can reappear through our memory. Ideas of Imagination: he equally claimed is different from ideas of memory; it is not tied to the simple ideas in the order and position as in memory. What this mean is that in imagination, we have ideas as faint copies or images of impressions. The difference between the two Hume gave as follows; „„in memory, there is an inseparable connection between ideas but in the case of imagination, this inseparable connection is wanting, but there is nevertheless, a uniting principle among ideas, some associating quality by which one idea naturally introduces another.‟‟¹⁹

What Hume meant by the explanation above is that the mind has unbounded freedom to roam the entire universe, that though our bodies are limited to this planet earth, the mind appears to have the ability to transcending this planet to other planets in the exercise of its freedom of movement. Though the mind has this ability to think of countless incongruous and fantastic things like a „„golden mountain‟‟, etc. Hume argued that it is nevertheless confined within the narrow limits of the mind. This position is that even when the mind produces complex ideas, though complex are not beyond impressions (phenomenalism).

139 Like the example of a „„golden mountain‟‟ given above; when we conceive of a golden mountain, we only join two consistent ideas, that is, gold and mountain which of course come through impressions we have of gold and mountain or more lively ones. This he claimed is the work of imagination.

What according to Hume leads the mind into combining, transposing and compounding of ideas it formed from impressions to get complex ideas is reflection. Despite these, Hume refuted the fact that the mind plays an active role in knowledge acquisition. The mind to him is passive. He presented knowledge acquisition through sensation in a way that the mind is seen not actively dealing with given materials as to put them together, „„but as finding already in the very data of sensation, certain natural relations by reason of which the one calls up or introduces the other.‟‟²⁰ What Hume rather claimed is that it is the idea that possesses these associating qualities which make it possible for them to combine and thus appear in compound manner though; it is by the activity of the mind that these complex ideas come about.

Simple ideas comprehend in the compound ones are bound together by these universal principles and have influence on all mankind. What Hume meant here is that there appear to be some principles of connection among ideas and named these principles as resemblance, contiguity in time and space and cause and effect. In other to demonstrate that there is an association of principles/relations between ideas which makes possible for ideas to come to mind in a successive manner without the mind, he declared;

140 it is evident that there is a principle of connection between the different

connections, thoughts and ideas of the mind and that in their appearance to the memory or imagination, they introduce each other with a certain degree of method or regularity- this is so observable, that any particular thought which breaks in upon the regular tract or chain of ideas is merely renounced and rejected.²¹

However, among the connecting principles, Hume concentrated on the principle of cause and effect as the most vital in determining the connectedness of human knowledge. Hume claimed that the entire edifice of our knowledge will crumble if we fail to prove the principle of causality to be true.

Hume‟s submission that the contents of the mind are impressions and ideas and his division of impressions into simple and complex ones and impression further into sensation and reflection reduce all human knowledge to mere impressions; which he said are in perpetual flux. Complex ideas Hume claimed is nevertheless beyond the narrow limits of the mind that has its content as impressions and ideas. The complex ideas formed Hume saw as arbitrary association caused by the imagination. With this position, it boiled down to that all our ideas are derived from impressions which he said is the guarantor of human knowledge. We cannot know anything beyond the impressions of the senses; the object of impression is not known but the impressions of it. This is phenomenalism in Hume‟s epistemology