Annette Baier, Knowing Our Place in the Animal World, in Ethics and Animals, edited by Harlan B. Miller and William H. Williams (Clifton, New Jersey: Humana Press, 1983. , p. 68
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I think there is at least one moral theory of respectable lineage and good independent credentials that can accommodate such fairly minimal intuitions about us and animals. This is the theory Hume offers us. I do not consider Hume a forerunner of utilitarianism, and therefore what I shall go on to say in defense of Hume is not intended as a defense of any version of utilitarianism. I see Hume to be much closer to Aristotle than to Mill, to be offering us a theory about human virtues, not a theory about utility maximization and the duties that might involve.

— Annette Baier

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "I think there is at least one moral theory of respectable lineage and good independent credentials that can accommodate such fairly minimal intuitions about us and animals. This is the theory Hume offers us. I do not consider Hume a forerunner of utilitarianism, and therefore what I shall go on to say in defense of Hume is not intended as a defense of any version of utilitarianism. I see Hume to be much closer to Aristotle than to Mill, to be offering us a theory about human virtues, not a theory about utility maximization and the duties that might involve." in the context of "Annette Baier, Knowing Our Place in the Animal World, in Ethics and Animals, edited by Harlan B. Miller and William H. Williams (Clifton, New Jersey: Humana Press, 1983. , p. 68" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "David Hume" (Quotes about David Hume: Organized alphabetically by author.) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
David Hume

About David Hume

David Hume (7 May 1711, N.S. April 26, O.S. – 25 August 1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist and essayist.