A Treatise of Human Nature / Edition 1

by David Hume, David Fate Norton, Mary J. Norton

Overview

The Oxford Philosophical Texts series consists of truly practical and accessible guides to major philosophical texts in the history of philosophy from the ancient world up to modern times. Each book opens with a comprehensive introduction by a leading specialist which covers the philosopher's life, work, and influence. Endnotes, a full bibliography, guides to further reading, and an index are also included. The series aims to build a definitive corpus of key texts in the Western philosophical tradition, forming a reliable and enduring resource for students and teachers alike.
David Hume's comprehensive attempt to base philosophy on a new, observationally grounded study of human nature is one of the most important texts in Western philosophy. It is also the focal point of current attempts to understand 18th-century philosophy The Treatise first explains how we form such concepts as cause and effect, external existence, and personal identity, and how we create compelling but unverifiable beliefs in the entities represented by these concepts. It then offers a novel account of the passions, explains freedom and necessity as they apply to human choices and actions, and concludes with a detailed explanation of how we distinguish between virtue and vice. The volume features Hume's own abstract of the Treatise, a substantial introduction that explains the aims of the Treatise as a whole and of each of its ten parts, a comprehensive index, and suggestions for further reading.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198751724
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	02/24/2000
Series:	Oxford Philosophical Texts
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	626
Sales rank:	514,015
Product dimensions:	9.15(w) x 6.10(h) x 1.53(d)

About the Author

David Norton is Macdonald Professor of Moral Philosophy and Co-director of the Hume Society/National Endowment for the Humanities Institute on the Philosophy of David Hume.

Mary J. Norton is an independent scholar

Table of Contents

PART 1: INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL
How to Use this Book
List of Abbreviations
Editor's Introduction
Hume's Early years and Education
A Treatise of Human Nature
Book 1: Of the Understanding
Book 1 part 1: The Elements of the Mental World
Book 1 Part 2: The Ideas of Space and Time
Book 1 Part 3: Knowledge, Probability, Belief, and Causation
Book 1 Part 4: Forms of Scepticism
Book 2: Of the passions
Book 2 Part 1: The Indirect Passions of Pride and Humility
Book 2 Part 2: The Indirect Passions of Love and Hatred
Book 2 part 3: The Direct Passions and the Will
Book 3: Of Morals
Book 3 Part 1: The Source of Moral Distinctions
Book 3 Part 2: The Artificial Virtues
Book 3 Part 3: Natural Virtues and Natural Abilities
The Abstract and the Early Reception of the Treatise
Supplementary Reading
A Note on the Texts of this Edition
PART 2: THE TEXT
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Introduction
Book 1: Of the Understanding
Part 1: Of ideas, their origin, composition, connexion, abstraction, etc.
Sect. 1: Of the origin of our ideas
Sect. 2: Division of the subject
Sect. 3: Of the ideas of the memory and imagination
Sect. 4: Of the connexion of association of ideas
Sect. 5. Of relations
Sect. 6 Of modes and substances
Sect. 7: Of abstract ideas
Part 2: Of ideas of space and time
Sect. 1: Of the infinite divisibility of our ideas of space and time
Sect. 2: Of the infinite divisibility of space and time
Sect. 3. Of the other qualities of our ideas of space and time
Sect. 4. Objections answered
Sect. 5: The same subject continued
Sect. 6: Of the idea of existence and of external existence
Part 3: of knowledge and probability
Sect. 1: Of knowledge
Sect. 2. Of probability; and of the idea of cause and effect
Sect. 3: Why a cause is always necessary
Sect. 4: Of the component parts of our reasonings concerning cause and effect
Sect. 5: Of the impressions of the senses and memory
Section. 6: Of the inference from the impression to the idea
Sect. 7: Of the nature of the idea or belief
Sect. 8: Of the causes of belief
Sect. 9: Of the effects of other relations and other habits
Sect 10. Of the influence of belief
Sect. 11: Of the probability of chances
Sect. 12: Of the probability of causes
Sect. 13: Of unphilosophical probability
Sect. 14: Of the idea of necessary connexion
Sect. 15: Rules by which to judge of causes and effects
Sect. 16: Of the reason of animals
Part 4: Of the sceptical and other systems of philosophy
Sect. 1: Of scepticism with regard to reason
Sect. 2: Of scepticism with regard to the senses
Sect. 3. Of the ancient philosophy
Sect 4. Of the modern philosophy
Sect. 5: Of the immateriality of the soul
Sect. 6: Of personal identity
Sect. 7: Conclusion of this book
Book 2: Of the Passions
Part 1: Of pride and humility
Sect. 1: Division of the subject
Sect. 2: Of pride and humility; their objects and causes
Sect. 3: Whence these objects and causes are derived
Sect. 4: Of the relations of impressions and ideas
Sect. 5: Of the influence of these relations on pride and humility
Sect. 6: Limitations of this system
Sect. 7: Of vice and virtue
Sect. 8: Of beauty and deformity
Sect. 9: Of external advantages and disadvantages
Sect. 10: Of property and riches
Sect. 11: Of the love of fame
Sect. 12: Of the pride and humility of animals
Part 2: Of love and hatred
Sect. 1: Of the objects and causes of love and hatred
Sect. 2: Experiments to confirm this system
Sect. 3: Difficulties solved
Sect. 4: Of the love of relations
Sect. 5: Of our esteem for the rich and powerful
Sect 6: Of benevolence and anger
Sect. 7: Of compassion
Sect. 8: Of malice and envy
Sect. 9: Of the mixture of benevolence and anger with compassion and malice
Sect. 10. Of respect and contempt
Sect. 11: Of the amorous passion, or love betwixt the sexes
Sect. 12: Of the love and hatred of animals
Part 3: Of the will and direct passions
Sect. 1: Of liberty and necessity
Sect. 2: The same subject continued
Sect. 3: Of the influencing motives of the will
Sect. 4: Of the causes of the violent passions
Sect. 5: Of the effects of custom
Sect. Of the influence of the imagination on passions
Sect. 7: Of contiguity and distance in space and time
Sect. 8: The same subject continued
Sect. 9: Of the direct passions
Sect. 10: Of curiosity, or the love of truth
Book 3: Of Morals
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Part 1: Of virtue and vice in general
Sect. 1: Moral distinctions not derived from reason
Sect. 2: Moral distinctions derived from a moral sense
Part 2: Of justice and injustice
Sect. 1: Justice, whether a natural or artificial virtue?
Sect. 2: Of the origin of justice and property
Sect. 3: Of the rules, which determine property
Sect. 4: Of the transference of property by consent
Sect. 5: Of the obligation of promises
Sect. 6: Some farther reflections concerning justice and injustice
Sect. 7: Of the origin of government
Sect. 8: Of the source of allegiance
Sect. 9: Of the measures of allegiance
Sect. 10: Of the objects of allegiance
Sect. 11: Of the laws of nations
Sect. 12: Of chastity and modesty
Part 3: Of the other virtues and vices
Sect. 1: Of the origin of the natural virtues and vices
Sect. 2: Of greatness of mind
Sect. 3. Of goodness and benevolence
Sect. 4: Of natural abilities
Sect. 5: Some farther reflections concerning the natural virtues
Sect. 6: Conclusion of this book
Appendix
An Abstract of ... A Treatise of Human Nature
PART 3 SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL
Editors' Annotations
Annotations to the Treatise
Annotations to the Abstract
Glossary
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

"This is the best edition around, especially for its glossary, index and the inclusion of the 'Abstract.'"—Professor Forrest Williams, University of Colorado

"This is the best edition available with an excellent index and notes!"—George Aigla, St. Johns College

From the Publisher