 And indeed, Hume says that “[n]ecessity is something that exists in the minds, not in objects” (1739: book I, part III, section XIV [1978: 165]). So there is no necessary connection in the world which would go beyond regular association. However, the inferential habits we develop based on the perceived regularities makes us feel that the connection between cause and effect is stronger than mere invariable succession. The necessary connection exists in our minds but not in the objects (see section in the entry on  Hume on Necessary Connection: Constructive Phase).