Hume on Causation

A short note on Hume’s treatment of causal necessity and constant conjunction.

Hume argues that experience presents one event followed by another, but never a separately observable necessary connection between them. Repeated conjunction produces a habit of expectation in the observer.

Working distinction

• Constant conjunction: events of kind A are regularly followed by events of kind B.
• Necessary connection: the stronger claim that A must bring about B.

The note is linked to Kant on causation, which shifts necessity from the observed objects to the conditions under which objective temporal experience is possible.