Be A Philosopher But Amidst All

From An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748), Section I, "Of the Different Species of Philosophy." Hume opens the Enquiry by distinguishing two kinds of moral philosophy: an abstract, speculative variety and one that remains in touch with common life. He champions a balance between rigorous philosophical inquiry and human practicality — warning that pure abstraction can make a thinker lose sight of common experience and sentiment. The admonition reflects Hume's lifelong project of grounding philosophy in observation of actual human nature rather than in remote metaphysical systems.