Cet essai, qu'Hume (1711-1776) considérait comme son meilleur, ambitionne de déterminer les fondements de la morale en restant fidèle à sa méthode empirique et à son scepticisme mitigé,

Recherche sur les principes de la morale

Enquête sur l'entendement humain. Principes de la morale

A Treatise of Human Nature (1739-40), 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 to form compelling but unconfirmable 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 detailed explanations of how we distinguish between virtue and vice and of the different kinds of virtue. Hume's Abstract of the Treatise, also included in the volume, outlines his 'chief argument' regarding our conception of, and belief in, cause and effect. The texts printed in this volume are those of the critical edition of Hume's philosophical works now being published by the Clarendon Press. The volume includes a substantial introduction explaining the aims of the Treatise as a whole and of each of its ten parts, extensive annotations, a glossary of terms, a comprehensive index, and suggestions for further reading.

La morale

In A Treatise on Human Nature, Scottish philosopher David Hume examines the psychological influences on human nature. Taking a naturalistic position, Hume posited that human nature is guided by desire rather than rational thought, and that humans could only have knowledge of those things that they themselves directly experienced. Published in 1738, A Treatise on Human Nature is considered one of the most important philosophical works published, and it became highly influential on later moral philosophy because of Hume's theory of free will as being determined by an individual's own motivation. HarperTorch brings great works of non-fiction and the dramatic arts to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperTorch collection to build your digital library.

A Treatise On Human Nature

L'entendement

Système Sceptique Et Autres Systèmes

DISPUTES with men, pertinaciously obstinate in their principles, are, of all others, the most irksome; except, perhaps, those with persons, entirely disingenuous, who really do not believe the opinions they defend, but engage in the controversy, from affectation, from a spirit of opposition, or from a desire of showing wit and ingenuity, superior to the rest of mankind. The same blind adherence to their own arguments is to be expected in both; the same contempt of their antagonists; and the same passionate vehemence, in inforcing sophistry and falsehood. And as reasoning is not the source, whence either disputant derives his tenets; it is in vain to expect, that any logic, which speaks not to the affections, will ever engage him to embrace sounder principles.

An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals

La critique que fait hume du fondement de la causalité est assez connue.
 Celle du fondement de l'identité l'est moins.  elle occupe la quatrième partie du premier livre du traité de la nature humaine.  c'est l'oeuvre géniale d'un jeune homme de 28 ans, dont l'humour sceptique bouscule le langage traditionnel de la philosophie.  comment sommes-nous assurés de l'existence des corps extérieurs ? comment pouvons-nous avoir le sentiment de notre propre moi ? la science de la nature humaine réussit à expliquer la première croyance ; elle échoue pour la seconde.
 Dans les deux cas, il faut s'en rapporter à l'imagination et à ses fictions.  belle occasion de ressaisir en une seule vue toute l'histoire de la philosophie, et d'en faire une critique radicale.

Systeme sceptique, et autres systemes

Nous pouvons être sûrs et certains que deux et deux feront toujours quatre : il s'agit d'une vérité logique. En revanche, dans l'ensemble des vérités empiriques, au sujet des «lois de la nature» que nous prétendons généraliser avec les lois scientifiques, nous ne pouvons pas être aussi catégoriques. Nous vivons sur des routines, plutôt que sur des connaissances assurées : voilà que la raison se révèle sujette à des croyances !

Recherche sur les principes de la morale

Résumé

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Critiques

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