Hume

David Hume (1711-1776) was acclaimed by AJ Ayer to be 'the greatest of all British philosophers'. The leading figure in the empiricist movement, his philosophical writings are both brilliantly argued and elegantly crafted. Yet few philosophers have been more often misunderstood. In this superb introduction, leading Hume scholar Don Garrett introduces and assesses all of Hume's philosophy. After a helpful chapter on Hume's life and times, he introduces and assesses Hume's theory of the mind, in particular his crucial distinction between 'ideas' and 'impressions' and emphasis on the role of reason in belief and action. He then explores Hume's application of these theories to inductive reasoning and causal necessity, the core of Hume's philosophy as a whole. Subsequent chapters explore the controversial place of scepticism in Hume's thought and Hume's important but relatively overlooked writings on morality, politics, and religious belief. The last chapter assesses Hume's lasting influence and legacy. Throughout, he carefully explains key passages from Hume's most celebrated works, including A Treatise of Human Nature, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. Hume is an invaluable introduction to this towering philosophers and essential reading for everyone coming to his philosophy for the first time. Don Garrett is Professor of Philosophy at New York University. He is the author of Cognition and Commitment in Hume's Philosophy and editor of The Cambridge Companion to Spinoza.Garrett, Don is the author of 'Hume ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780415283342 and ISBN 0415283345.