Socrates Meets Hume: The Father of Philosophy Meets the Father of Modern Skepticism

by Peter Kreeft

Overview

This book is the 6th book in a series of Socratic explorations of some of the Great Books. The books in this series are intended to be short, clear, and non-technical, thus fully understandable by beginners. Through such Socratic dialogues, Peter Kreeft introduces (or reviews) the basic questions in the fundamental divisions of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, anthropology, ethics, logic, and method.

In Socrates Meets Hume, Kreeft presents a Socratic examination of enquiry concerning human understanding in relation to the skepticism of Hume, posing questions that challenge the concepts that Hume proposed. Kreeft states that Hume is the "most formidable, serious, difficult-to-refute skeptic in the history of human thought."

Kreeft invites you to take part in the process of refuting Hume's skeptical arguments, with the aid of Socrates. Based on an imaginary dialogue between Socrates and Hume that takes place in the afterlife, this profound and witty book makes an entertaining and informative exploration of modern philosophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681494395
Publisher:	Ignatius Press
Publication date:	06/17/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	227
File size:	204 KB

About the Author

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy at Boston College, is one of the most respected and prolific Christian authors of our time. His many bestselling books cover a vast array of topics in spirituality, theology, and philosophy. They include Wisdom from the Psalms, Practical Theology, Doors in the Walls of the World, How to Be Holy, Because God Is Real, You Can Understand the Bible, Angels and Demons, Heaven: The Heart's Deepest Longing, and Summa of the Summa.

Table of Contents

Preface 7

Introduction 9

1 Hume Introduced 15

2 The Point of Departure 24

3 Hume's Relation to Locke 42

4 Hume's Promise: The Origin of All Ideas 56

5 The Division of All Objects of Reason (Things Knowable) into "Relations of Ideas" and "Matters of Fact" 81

6 The Critique of Causality 103

7 The Mysterious Idea of Causal Connection 129

8 Hume's Explanation of Causal Reasoning by Custom or Habit 145

9 Hume's Emotive Morality 155

10 Hume's Critique of Miracles 163

11 Hume's Critiques of Christianity 199

12 Hume's Denial of the Self 209

13 Hume's Skepticism 217