Hume

by Anthony Quinton

Philosophy is one of the most intimidating and difficult of disciplines, as any of its students can attest. This book is an important entry in a distinctive new series from Routledge: "The Great Philosophers." Breaking down obstacles to understanding the ideas of history's greatest thinkers, these brief, accessible, and affordable volumes offer essential introductions to the great philosophers of the Western tradition from Plato to Wittgenstein.
In just 64 pages, each author, a specialist on his subject, places the philosopher and his ideas into historical perspective. Each volume explains, in simple terms, the basic concepts, enriching the narrative through the effective use of biographical detail. And instead of attempting to explain the philosopher's entire intellectual history, which can be daunting, this series takes one central theme in each philosopher's work, using it to unfold the philosopher's thoughts.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1998

About the author

Anthony Meredith Quinton, Baron Quinton, FBA was an English political and moral philosopher, metaphysician, and materialist philosopher of mind. He served as President of Trinity College, Oxford from 1978 to 1987; and as chairman of the board of the British Library from 1985 to 1990. He is also remembered as a presenter of the BBC Radio programme Round Britain Quiz.

Reviews

[Daniel Clemence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rather short but insightful book in Hume. This goes into Hume's view on causality, ethics, empiricism, politics and religion. It will take you a few hours to read if you are not well-versed in philosophy. A useful quick read on Hume.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

"That no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that it's falsehood would be even more miraculous. . . . When anyone tells me, that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself, whether it be more probable, that this person should either deceive or be deceived, or the fact, which he relates, should have really happened. I weigh the one miracle against the other . . . and always reject the greater miracle. If the falsehood of his testimony would be more miraculous, than the event he relates; then, and not till then, can he pretend to command my belief and opinion."

----Hume, Essays 525--26 (Oxford, 1963).

Let's test this, shall we?

Suppose the lesser miracle, the one that is easier to believe, than the resurrection of a Galilean carpenter turned itinerant teacher and healer, is that the 11 men who saw their master be betrayed, delivered up to a tyrannical regime, hauled through kangaroo courts, scourged, and nailed to two pieces of wood to bleed to death, men entirely without hope, who realized that they had wasted 3 years following a lunatic, and knowing full well that similar fates lay in store for them if they openly identified themselves as his students, conspire to sneak past or bribe the tomb guards, hide the body, invent a resurrection story, and then in the service of this story from which they have nothing to gain and everything remaining to lose if its falsity is discovered, suffer anyway, lose their livelihoods, their families, their friends, their countrymen, their health, their wealth, and their lives. They, and the others with them at the beginning, were flayed, crucified, stoned, fed to beasts, set aflame, scourged, beaten, and drowned, for their testimony -- a testimony that would, in due time, bring down the Empire and change the world.

Compared to all these knowingly vain martyrdoms, it's much easier to believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

[Jason Korbus · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short pocket-sized book of interest to anyone with a desire for a quick and compact look at the life and philosophical outlook of one of history's most important philosophical minds. A few chapters are a little rough sledding, but you will come away having learned something.

[Tiila · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Humea on pidetty Britannian merkittävimpänä filosofina. Tämä kirja löytyi vähän sattumalta omasta hyllystämme, on appiukon peruja ja sieltä kautta meille kulkeutunut. Filosofia ei ehkä ole sitä kaikkein ”keveintä kamaa” luettavaksi, mutta teos antoi ajateltavaa mm. kausaatiosta, moraalista, politiikasta ja uskonnosta. Humen mukaan kaikki tieto tulee ihmisille aistien kautta. Havainnot jakautuvat kahteen ryhmään: ideoihin ja vaikutelmiin. Mielenkiintoisessa teoksessa riittäisi pohdittavaa pitkäksi aikaa; tuli mieleen lukion filosofian tunnit, joilla tuumailtiin, kuuluuko metsässä kaatuvasta puusta ääni, ellei kukaan ole sitä kuulemassa. Hume pohtii myös ristiriitaa vapaan tahdon ja determinismin välillä sekä paljon muita aiheita laajallakin skaalalla.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good half of this book is a challenging read. you will have to read and re-read many paragraphs and pages. but this is because the claims Hume are making are attacking the very nature of what we think we know. you will certainly learn several new ways of looking at knowledge from this book. and conceptualize how many presuppositions we actually make in our daily lives are based off of inferred experience, rather than a logical and rational process.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a layperson I would have appreciated many more definitions of terms.

For example, Hume refers often to the "liveliness" of ideas and impressions, but Quinton never clarifies what "liveliness" means in this context.

Quinton also had many run-on sentences, making a difficult subject even harder to understand.

[Morris Yen · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as good as expected

[thekar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πλήρης εισαγωγή για τις απόψεις του David Hume, και για την δευτερη φάση του βρετανικού εμπειρισμού γενικότερα.