David Hume

Hume's Treatise was published before he was thirty (after its publication in 1739-40 he wrote that it 'fell dead-born from the press'). It is nothing less than an attempt to extend the Copernican Revolution to philosophy - to put to the test of experience a complete system of the moral sciences which had hitherto gone unquestioned. But Hume was no rationalist: from his viewpoint of informed scepticism he could see man not as a religious creation,...

This edition includes a modern introduction and a list of suggested further reading. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding is the thesis of a thinker who was a scientist, psychologist, metaphysician, and skeptic who continues to fascinate contemporary minds. The product of both youthful fire and mature consideration, the Enquiry, "contain[s] everything of Consequence relating to the understanding." In the face of skepticism, the Enquiry offered...

"Essays: Moral, Political, and Literary" (1758) is a two volume compilation of essays by David Hume. Part I includes the essays that largely cover political and aesthetic issues, while Part II delves into economic themes.

In A Treatise on Human Nature, Scottish philosopher David Hume examines the psychological influences on human nature. Taking a naturalistic position, Hume posited that human nature is guided by desire rather than rational thought, and that humans could only have knowledge of those things that they themselves directly experienced. Published in 1738, A Treatise on Human Nature is considered one of the most important philosophical works published, and...

In a final, short summary of his life and works, David Hume wrote My Own Life as he suffered from gastrointestinal issues that ultimately killed him. Despite his bleak prognosis, Hume remains lighthearted and inspirational throughout. He discusses his life growing up, his family relationships, and his desire to constantly improve his works and his reputation as an author. He confesses, "I have suffered very little pain from my disorder; and what is...

David Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion had not yet been published when he died in 1776. Even though the manuscript was mostly written during the 1750s, it did not appear until 1779. The subject itself was too delicate and controversial, and Hume's dialectical examination of religious knowledge was especially provocative. What should we teach young people about religion? The characters Demea, Cleanthes, and Philo passionately present...

Entertaining and insightful, David Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion and The Natural History of Religion are considered to be among the most important philosophical works on the topic of religion. Each investigates the formation and consequences of religious belief: taking the form of a Platonic dialogue between three speakers (a sceptic, an empiricist and a theologian/mystic), the first work scrutinises the various arguments for the existence...

Though David Hume (1711-1776) is now best known for his role as a prominent philosopher of the Enlightenment rather than an historian, it was his momentous six-volume The History of England that really brought him national attention during his lifetime. It came out in instalments between 1754 and 1762 and proved an instant success. As it covers the ground from Julius Caesar to James II and the Glorious Revolution, it may not be so surprising that...