[Hume, Barry Stroud, 1977]
p.34 the imagination, when set into any train of thinking, is apt to continue, even when its object fails
it, and like a galley put in motion by oars, carries on its course without any new impulse
p.35 We can perform various 'actions' of combining or juxtaposing our ideas, and thus get new ideas in the
mind. In fact, Hume says that nothing is more free than the imagination
p.52 Hume says, 'we always draw an inference from one object to another' (p. 88). Whenever men observe a
particular object or event which belongs to a class of things that have been constantly conjoined in their experience with
things of another class, then they come to believe that an object or event of the second class exists or will occur. We observe
constant conjunctions between things of two kinds, and then upon observing something of the first kind we come to believe
that a thing of the second kind exists. This, Hume believes, is a true universal generalization about human behaviour. [JLJ
- as far as game theory goes, we we arrange our pieces in a way that we believe 'usually' results in pressure on our opponent,
we come to expect that a better position will arrive in the future, as our opponent struggles to adapt and inspects what his
now limited or constrained resources can do for him. This leads into the quote below.]
p.52-53 How does an experienced constant conjunction work on us to give us a belief about the unobserved?
What is it about experiencing a constant conjunction of As and Bs that 'determines' us, when we observe a particular A, to
get an idea of a B, and then to believe that a B will follow? ...If, as Hume believes, we are not 'determin'd by reason' to
infer from the observed to the unobserved, then some other explanation of how and why we do it must be found. He looks for
that explanation in what he calls 'the imagination'. He tries to find those natural and primitive dispositions of mind, that
are responsible for our making the inferences we do.
p.68 There is no doubt that we do make an inference or transition from the observed to the unobserved. And
Hume finds that we make it only after we have observed a constant conjunction between two sorts of things, and are presented
with a thing of one of those sorts... [Hume:] When ev'ry individual of any species of objects is found by experience to be
constantly united with an individual of another species, the appearance of any new individual of either species naturally
conveys the thought to its usual attendant.
p.69 The observation of a constant conjunction between As and Bs has the inevitable effect of creating a
'union in the imagination' between the idea of a A and the idea of a B... We have already seen that no reasoning leads us
to make the transition... In fact, we cannot easily prevent that idea from occurring in such a situation.
Hume thinks that most cases of relying on past experience are like this... When we get an impression
of an A we do not just get the idea of a B - we actually come to believe that a B will occur. That is just the inference
Hume wants to explain. [JLJ - now translated into game theory: we know from our experience that a certain arrangement
of pieces on a game board that is causing stress for our opponent in a particular way most often causes an
advantage to emerge for us in the near future. We look now at the game board and see that the present arrangement
of pieces is causing stress for our opponent in the way that usually causes the position to tip in our favor. We therefore
come to believe that we now have a sustainable advantage, because of our 'knowledge' that unmitigated stress usually is associated
with an advantage.]
p.70 Hume feels... a belief is... 'a lively idea related to or associated with a present impression'
p.74 It is rather in its effects on the mind that an idea that is a belief differs from a mere idea - it
is said to 'weigh more in the thought', to have a 'superior influence on our passions and imagination', and to be 'the governing
principle of our actions'. [JLJ - so for game theory, it is important that we construct beliefs to go along with our
perceptions. Perceptions in fact mean nothing unless we attach beliefs to them. Therefore our machine generates perceptions
and determines which of those perceptions have meaning by associating a rule or a threshold to a perception
to say 'hey there's something here that needs to be looked at.' These perceptions that have meaning can now have the attention
of the machine, or steer the machine in a particular direction.
In driving a car, we attach a meaning to the concepts of driving too fast, getting too close to the
car in front, feeling unusual bumps in the road, someone coming up fast from behind us, etc. When we perceive these sensations,
we immediately take action - often without conscious thought, because the perception is usually associated with a dangerous
condition that we might not otherwise be aware - the conjunction of A with B that Hume discusses. We sense condition A and
take action because we believe that unseen B (usually or possibly associated with A) is lurking around, somewhere. We
perceive A, but act as if we sensed B. Interesting.]
p.108 In fact, the idea of continued existence [JLJ - related to the concept of sustainable development]
is said to come into the mind solely as a result of our 'feigning' or 'supposing' the continued existence of our perceptions.
[JLJ - in game theory, when we stop analyzing a particular variation, we arrive at a final 'perception' of the winning/stability
chances which might develop, and then just assume that we have enough margin present to handle anything unforeseen that
might result. We suppose, due to our perceptions and beliefs associated with those perceptions, that the future positions
which emerge from this ignored line of play are not worth our valuable time and probably can be handled, if game
play actually goes down this path.]
p.129 One might ask what is led to expect a B, given an A and a past constant conjunction of As
and Bs. Or what feigns a continued existence in order to resolve a conflict that it would otherwise get into. [JLJ
- my guess, the cognitive part of the human mind, as a decision-making mechanism for survival, in interaction with an often
dangerous world.]
p.226 He [Hume] also takes it as a contingent fact, which could have been otherwise, that people who observe
constant conjunctions between kinds of phenomena and then come to expect one of the second kind, given one of the first, then
come to have the idea of necessary connection... observed constant conjunctions establish a 'union in the imagination' between
perceptions of the two kinds of things found to be conjoined, and the principle that an impression transmits some of its force
and vivacity to an idea with which it is associated in the imagination, thus producing belief.
[JLJ - Hume is saying that people form beliefs due to the connection, by the imagination, of perceptions
to the things usually associated with them. You don't sit down and consciously decide to connect all these things to each
other, - perhaps there are too many and it would take too much effort - it is done for you by your imagination and your knowledge
of the connections.
So, your imagination is constantly looking for correlations between things perceived and things that
are actually real (or possible), and setting up triggers that inform you, perhaps even sharply, when such a connection is
made. So the imagination extends our perception into the world of the possible, but likely. We can "see" things that are there,
and also things that might probably be there, due to cues that "usually" indicate the connection between two related objects.
Perhaps our imagination is even constructing and running diagnostic tests to prevent 'false positives.' Very interesting
and useful for game theory.]
