How a concept appears in a person's mind is itself a concept worth examining. Many philosophers have sought the origin of thought in the human mind, and many different reasons have been given to explain this origin. As a philosopher, it was only natural that Hume would propose his own framework for human thought. For Hume, perceptions develop either as an understanding of the external world or as memories of these events or alterations of these memories in the mind¹. This distinction is important, because it allows Hume to differentiate perceptions into true or false notions. In doing so, Hume highlights his concepts of belief and fiction. Belief is defined by the perception that one believes, in simple terms, and fiction encompasses thoughts that one does not believe. These definitions seem redundant when viewed this way, but a closer look at Hume's framework illuminates the meaning of what he is trying to establish regarding belief. In order to fully understand the difference between belief and fiction, Hume's definition of thought must first be studied. Hume divides the perceptions of the mind 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 one experiences the thought. 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 most vivid thought is still inferior to the dullest sensation” (p. 17). Here Hume expands on the concept of force in ideas, arguing that ideas are simply less powerful than impressions. As he continues, Hume explains that our mid-paper thoughts are controllable, and although this feeling is difficult to define, it is simply known, because "every man is at every moment conscious of the feeling which he represents" (p 50). A major distinction to note is that belief is generated by custom. Belief in a certain perception is guided by the framework built by past experiences that leads you to make judgments about the world. This framework allows us to believe in what we observe, and to reject any idea that does not make sense in terms of custom. Although Hume may not have been accurate in some aspects, the writings provided remain solid, providing an understanding of belief and fiction. Edition, ed. PH Nidditch (London: Oxford University Press, 1975), p.. 18.