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An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

David Hume

Why we're reading this: The subject of skepticism in philosophy is introduced by one of the Enlightenment's finest thinkers. The …more
[close] The subject of skepticism in philosophy is introduced by one of the Enlightenment's finest thinkers. The book is easy for generalists to read, and its conclusions factor strongly into contemporary philosophical discussions.

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Jul 30, 2013 R.a. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy

First and foremost, I loved this work.

Despite some invective that I had read in a discussion group, I find his Enquiry, frankly, great. With regards to the invective comments, I wonder if that author kept in mind that this treatise (rewritten from an earlier The Treatise of Human Nature) was written in 1748.

Here then, is a work that pre-dates Saussure and Peirce . . . and here we see the forerunner of the “signified” and “interpretant” with Hume’s “copy.”

What I particularly like is Hume’s progre ...more

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Mar 26, 2012 pearl rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy

I actually did not enjoy this as much as I'd hoped. I don't even know if I can explain it... Hume's insights into the human psyche are still powerful and relevant. His writing style, though ornamented, bears a gentle glow of benevolence that is hard to dislike (well, benevolent, that is, until the very last line--hooboy). Yet, when I finished reading the Enquiry, I couldn't help but feel slightly underwhelmed? Maybe my previous familiarity with the problem of induction/causation dulled me to its ...more

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