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Full Idea
Every man who understands the language knows that neither priority, nor constant conjunction, nor both taken together, imply efficiency.
Gist of Idea
We all know that mere priority or constant conjunction do not have to imply causation
Source
Thomas Reid (Essays on Active Powers 4: Liberty of Agents [1788], 2)
Book Ref
Reid,Thomas: 'Inquiry and Essays', ed/tr. Beanblossom /K.Lehrer [Hackett 1983], p.334
A Reaction
This invites the question of how we do know causal events, if none of our experiences are enough to prove it. Reid says we have an innate knowledge that all events are caused, but that isn't much help. The presence of power?
Related Idea
Idea 23667 Regular events don't imply a cause, without an innate conviction of universal causation [Reid]