An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding / Edition 1

by David Hume, Tom L. Beauchamp

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.
Now one of the most widely read works in philosophy, David Hume's An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding (1748) introduced his philosophy to a broad educated readership. In it he gives an elegant an accessible presentation of strikingly original and challenging views about the limited powers of human understanding, the attractions of skepticism, the compatibility of free will and determinism, and weaknesses in the foundations of religion. In this volume, an authoritative new version of the text is enhanced by detailed explanatory notes, a glossary of terms, a full list of references,
and a section of supplementary readings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198752486
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	05/27/1999
Series:	Oxford Philosophical Texts
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	9.18(w) x 6.17(h) x 0.67(d)
Lexile:	1350L (what's this?)

About the Author

Lorne Falkenstein is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Western Ontario, and has published widely on eighteenth-century philosophy.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Introductory MaterialHow to Use this BookList of AbbreviationsEditor's Introduction1. Life and Early Publishing History2. Cultural and Intellectual Background3. Two General Features of Hume's Philosophy4. Philosophy of Mind5. Epistemology6. Metaphysics7. Philosophy of Religion8. ScepticismSupplementary ReadingThe Text Printed in this EditionPart 2: The TextAn Enquiry concerning Human Understanding1. Of the Different Species of Philosophy2. Of the Origin of Ideas3. Of the Association of Ideas4. Sceptical Doubts concerning the Operations of the Understanding5. Sceptical Solution of these Doubts6. Of Probability7. Of the Idea of Necessary Connexion8. Of Liberty and Necessity9. Of the Reason of Animals10. Of Miracles11. Of a Particular Providence and of a Future State12. Of the Academical or Sceptical PhilosophyPart 3: Supplementary MaterialAnnotations to the EnquiryGlossaryReferencesIndex

Editorial Reviews

David Hume’s Enquiry concerning Human Understanding is a philosophical masterpiece that explores the nature of human cognition and the limits of our knowledge. This edition of the Enquiry helpfully puts the text in its historical context by presenting it alongside responses from Hume’s most significant 18th-century critics: George Campbell, Thomas Reid, James Beattie, and Immanuel Kant. Lorne Falkenstein’s incisive introduction and editorial comments offer readers, whether novice or expert, a sure hand as they navigate both the deceivingly straightforward text and the critics’ responses.” — Donald C. Ainslie, University of Toronto

“The 1758 edition of An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding was the first to be grouped together with A Dissertation on the Passions, An Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals, and The Natural History of Religion. This grouping well reflects Hume’s ambition to recast his earlier Treatise on Human Nature, and brings into relief his explicit criticism of religion. In four appendices, Lorne Falkenstein has thoughtfully chosen selections by Hume’s contemporaries who challenge Hume on the central topics of the Enquiry: perception and reasoning, causation, and miracles. Falkenstein adds helpful notes providing further historical context. This is an excellent edition for undergraduate and graduate courses, and will be a welcome new resource for scholars.” — Jacqueline Taylor, University of San Francisco

From the Publisher

"The 1758 edition of An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding was the first to be grouped together with A Dissertation on the Passions, An Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals, and The Natural History of Religion. This grouping well reflects Hume's ambition to recast his earlier Treatise on Human Nature, and brings into relief his explicit criticism of religion. In four appendices, Lorne Falkenstein has thoughtfully chosen selections by Hume's contemporaries who challenge Hume on the central topics of the Enquiry: perception and reasoning, causation, and miracles. Falkenstein adds helpful notes providing further historical context. This is an excellent edition for undergraduate and graduate courses, and will be a welcome new resource for scholars."

Jacqueline Taylor University of San Francisco

"David Hume's Enquiry concerning Human Understanding is a philosophical masterpiece that explores the nature of human cognition and the limits of our knowledge. This edition of the Enquiry helpfully puts the text in its historical context by presenting it alongside responses from Hume's most significant 18th-century critics: George Campbell, Thomas Reid, James Beattie, and Immanuel Kant. Lorne Falkenstein's incisive introduction and editorial comments offer readers, whether novice or expert, a sure hand as they navigate both the deceivingly straightforward text and the critics' responses."

Donald C. Ainslie University of Toronto