HumeWhat 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. |
Contents
HUMES LIFE | 1 |
CHAPTER II | 26 |
PART IIIHUMES PHILOSOPHY | 45 |
CHAPTER II | 61 |
CHAPTER III | 74 |
CHAPTER V | 103 |
CHAPTER VI | 114 |
CHAPTER VII | 129 |
CHAPTER VIII | 140 |
CHAPTER IX | 165 |
CHAPTER X | 183 |
CHAPTER XI | 197 |
Common terms and phrases
absolute monarchy actions admit animal appear argument arise attributes belief body causation cause and effect centaur complex idea conceive concerning connexion consciousness contrary David Hume defined definite Deity Descartes difierent doctrine doubt efiects essay event evidence existence expectation experience fact faculty Faculty of Advocates feeling figures find fire first give Henry Home human Hume says Hume's Hume’s identity imagination impossible impressions inference infinite influence innate innate ideas Inquiry instinct intelligent invisible agent John Hill Burton justice knowledge mankind manner matter means memory mental mind miracle modifications moral motion necessary truth necessity never noumenon object observation operations pain passions perceptions person phenomena philosophers pleasure polytheism present principles proposition prove question reason reflection regard relation relations of ideas religion satisfied scientific seems sensation sense sophism soul Spinoza substance succession suflicient suppose theism theology things thought tion Treatise universe volition words