Hume

A clear and succinct account, first published in 1879, of the philosophical principles and conclusions of David Hume (1711–56).

Thomas Henry Huxley (Author)

9781108034777, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 27 October 2011

222 pages
21.6 x 14 x 1.3 cm, 0.29 kg

What is philosophy about? According to the author of this work (published in the first series of 'English Men of Letters' in 1879) it is fundamentally the answer to the question: 'What can I know?' T. H. Huxley (1825–95), the distinguished English scientist and disciple of Darwin, succeeds in giving a clear and succinct account of the way in which Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711–56) answered this question. The book is divided into two parts: in the first, Huxley provides the reader with a sketch of Hume's life, but the main emphasis of the book is in Part 2, where by expounding Hume's views on the object of philosophy, consciousness, theology, language and free will, Huxley guides the reader towards an understanding of how Hume's philosophical principles can be regarded as a search for the ultimate element out of which all valid knowledge may be shown to emerge.

Part I. Hume's Life: 1. Early life: literary and political writings
2. Later years: the History of England
Part II. Hume's Philosophy: 1. The object and scope of philosophy
2. The contents of the mind
3. The origin of the impressions
4. The classification and the nomenclature of mental operations
5. The mental phenomena of animals
6. Language - propositions concerning necessary truths
7. The order of nature: miracles
8. Theism: evolution of theology
9. The soul: the doctrine of immortality
10. Volition: liberty and necessity
11. The principles of morals.

Subject Areas: History of Western philosophy [HPC]