Reading Hume on Human Understanding is a companion to the study of one of the great works of Western philosophy. David Hume's Enquiry concerning Human Understanding (1748) has long been recognized as one of the best 'classics' for introducing students to the subject; these essays, most of them specially written for this volume, show how much more than this it is. The aims of the volume are: to provide a general overview of the Enquiry, especially for those approaching it for the first time; to set it in the context of Hume's philosophical work as a whole and establish its importance in that context: to elucidate, analyse, and assess the philosophy of the Enquiry, and clarify its interpretation; and to discuss recent developments in Hume scholarship that are relevant to the Enquiry. The eminent contributors to this volume cover a broad range of topics: meaning, induction, scepticism, belief, personal identity, causation, freedom, miracles, probability, and religious belief. These topics remain at the centre of philosophical debate today, and Hume's treatment of them in the Enquiry continues to demand attention and attract controversy.
Introduction ; 1. The Context, Aims, and Structure of Hume's First Enquiry ; 2. Two Species of Philosophy; The Historical Significance of the First Enquiry ; 3. Empiricism about Meanings ; 4. Hume's Sceptical Doubts concerning Induction ; 5. Belief and Instinct in Hume's First Enquiry ; 6. Hume, Belief, and Personal Identity ; 7. The Idea of Necessary Connexion ; 8. David Hume: Objects and Power ; 9. Hume and Thick Connexions ; 10. Hume on Liberty and Necessity ; 11. Hume on Testimony concerning Miracles ; 12. Hume versus Price on Miracles and Prior Probabilities: Testimony and the Bayesian Calculation ; 13. Religion: The Useless Hypothesis ; 14. Of the Academical or Sceptical Philosphy ; Bibliography, Index
