How a concept comes to exist in our minds is itself a concept worth examining. Many philosophers have searched for the origin of thought in the human mind, and many different reasons have been given for this origin. As a philosopher, it is fitting that Hume proposes his own framework for human thought. For Hume, perceptions develop either as understandings of the external world, or as memories of these events or alterations of these memories within the mind¹. This distinction is important, as it allows Hume to differentiate perceptions as true or false notions. With this Hume proposes his concepts of belief and fiction. Belief is defined in the perceptions that are believed, simply put, and fiction includes the thoughts that are not believed. These definitions seem redundant when viewed as such, but further examination of Hume's framework sheds light on the meaning of what he attempts to establish about belief. To fully understand the difference between belief and fiction, you must first study Hume's definition of thought. Hume divides the mind's perceptions into two sections – impressions and ideas – and the distinctions between the two are significant (Hume, 18). For Hume, the most important aspect of perceptions is the strength with which thought is experienced. Impressions are defined as “all our most vivid perceptions, when we hear, or see, or feel, or love, or hate, or desire, or want” (p. 18). On the other hand, "the liveliest thought is still inferior to the dullest sensation" (p. 17). Here Hume elaborates on the concept of force in ideas, stating that ideas are simply less powerful than impressions. Continuing, Hume explains that our thoughts are... middle of paper... controllable, and although this feeling is difficult to define, it is simply known, for "every man is conscious at every moment of the feeling which it represents" (p. 50) Important distinction to note is that belief is generated through habit. This framework allows you to believe in what you observe and to reject any ideas that do not make sense compared to custom. Although Hume may not have been accurate in some respects, the writings provided remain strong, and this allows for an understanding of beliefs and fictions Human Understanding, in Inquiries Concerning Human Understanding and Concerning the Principles of Morals: Third Edition, ed. PH Nidditch (London: Oxford University Press, 1975), p. 18.