Description
Book SynopsisThis is the first edition in over a century to present David Hume’s Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Dissertation on the Passions, Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, and Natural History of Religion in the format he intended: collected together in a single volume. Hume has suffered a fate unusual among great philosophers. His principal philosophical work is no longer published in the form in which he intended it to be read. It has been divided into separate parts, only some of which continue to be published. This volume repairs that neglect by presenting the four pieces that Hume in later life desired to "alone be regarded as containing [his] philosophical sentiments and principles" in the format he preferred, as a single volume with an organization that parallels that of his early Treatise of Human Nature.
This edition’s introduction comments on the historical origins and evolution of the four parts and draws attention to how they mutually inform and support one another. The text is based on the first (1758) edition of Hume’s Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. Notes advise the reader of the changes made in the final (1777) edition. Excerpts from the work of some of Hume’s most important contemporary critics are included as appendices. Hume’s abundant references to ancient historians, geographers, poets, and philosophers—many of them now quite obscure—are rendered accessible in this volume through extensive textual notes and a bibliography of online sources.
Trade Review“Falkenstein and McArthur are to be commended for giving us a modern edition of the philosophical texts that Hume collected as the second volume of Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. We have for a very long time been working with these writings as self-standing pieces rather than collected within a single volume as Hume himself intended. Restoring these writings in this context is an excellent idea and it will be interesting to see the extent to which this restoration changes our view of Hume. In addition, I found the introductory material to be extremely illuminating as well as lucid. This is an excellent edition and an excellent addition to Hume scholarship.” — Peter J.E. Kail, University of Oxford
“In bringing Hume’s mature philosophical works together in one volume as he himself intended them to be read, this edition makes vivid the interconnections among his writings, and will help students appreciate the considerable systematic appeal of Hume’s philosophy. This new edition will prove extremely useful for both scholars and students. The scholarly and bibliographic apparatus is excellent, and the magisterial introduction very effectively places Hume’s writings in their proper biographical and philosophical context.” — Thomas Holden, University of California, Santa Barbara
Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements
Abbreviations and References
Introduction
David Hume: A Brief Chronology
A Note on the Texts
Front Matter from the 1758 and 1777 Editions of Hume’s Essays andTreatises on Several Subjects
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
- Section 1 Of the different species of philosophy
Section 2 Of the origin of ideas
Section 3 Of the association of ideas
Section 4 Sceptical doubts concerning the operations of the understanding
Section 5 Sceptical solution of these doubts
Section 6 Of probability
Section 7 Of the idea of necessary connexion
Section 8 Of liberty and necessity
Section 9 Of the reason of animals
Section 10 Of miracles
Section 11 Of a particular providence and of a future state
Section 12 Of the academical or sceptical philosophy
A Dissertation on the Passions
An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals
- Section 1 Of the general principles of morals
Section 2 Of benevolence
Section 3 Of justice
Section 4 Of political society
Section 5 Why utility pleases
Section 6 Of qualities useful to ourselves
Section 7 Of qualities immediately agreeable to ourselves
Section 8 Of qualities immediately agreeable to others
Section 9 Conclusion of the whole
Appendix 1 Of moral sentiment
[1777: Appendix 2 is Section 2 Part i of this Broadviewedition]
Appendix 2 [1777: 3] Some farther considerations with regard to justice
[1777: Appendix 4 is Section 6 Part i of this Broadview edition]
A Dialogue
The Natural History of Religion
[1757: Letter of Dedication to John Home (Hume)]
Introduction
- Section 1 That polytheism was the primitive religion of men
Section 2 Origin of polytheism
Section 3 The same subject continued
Section 4 Deities not considered as creators or formers of the world
Section 5 Various forms of polytheism, allegory, hero-worship
Section 6 Origin of theism from polytheism
Section 7 Confirmation of this doctrine
Section 8 Flux and reflux of polytheism and theism
Section 9 Comparison of these religions with regard to persecution and toleration
Section 10 With regard to courage or abasement
Section 11 With regard to reason and absurdity
Section 12 With regard to doubt or conviction
Section 13 Impious conceptions of the divine nature in mostpopular religions of both kinds
Section 14 Bad influence of most popular religions onmorality
Section 15 General corollary from the whole
Appendix A
From Richard Price, Four Dissertations (1768)
Appendix B
The Dissertation on the Passions and Treatise, Book 2
Appendix C
From Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759)
Appendix D
From Henry Home, Lord Kames, Essays on the Principles of Morality and Natural Religion (1779)
Appendix E
From Thomas Reid, Essays on the Active Powers of Man (1788)
Appendix F
From Anonymous [Daniel MacQueen], Letters on Mr. Hume’s History of Great Britain (1756)
Appendix G
From Anonymous [William Warburton], Remarks on Mr. David Hume’s Essay on the Natural History of Religion (1757)
Select Bibliography
Hume’s Index to ETSS 2
