An Enquiry Concerning Human Understan..., David Hume
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understan..., David Hume
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An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

Author: David Hume

Narrator: Liam Johnson

Unabridged: 4 hr 40 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Stream Readers

Published: 03/02/2023


Synopsis

"An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding" is a philosophical work written by David Hume in the 18th century. It is one of the most influential works in Western philosophy and is considered a cornerstone of modern empiricism and skepticism.In this book, Hume investigates the nature and limits of human knowledge, arguing that all knowledge is based on our experiences and observations of the world. He asserts that we cannot know anything beyond what we have observed or experienced, and that there is no rational basis for many of the beliefs that we hold.Hume's philosophy is deeply skeptical, and he questions many of the traditional ideas of Western philosophy, including causation, induction, and the existence of God. He argues that our beliefs in these concepts are not based on reason, but rather on habit or custom, and that they cannot be rationally justified.Hume also explores the nature of morality and human nature, arguing that moral judgments are based on sentiment rather than reason, and that human beings are fundamentally motivated by self-interest rather than by any innate moral principles.Overall, "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding" is a profound and influential work that challenges many of the fundamental assumptions of Western philosophy. It is notable for its skepticism and empiricism, and for its rejection of many traditional metaphysical and theological concepts.

About David Hume

David Hume (1711-1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist whose best known works include A Treatise of Human Nature, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, An Enquiry Concerning the Principle of Morals, The History of England, and The Natural History of Religion. Born in Edinburgh, he attended Edinburgh University and lived for several years in La Flèche, France. Hume's work is centrally concerned with the psychological characterics of human nature and the foundations of human understanding and is characterized by a pervasive skepticism regarding received wisdom, religion, and other institutions. A towering figure in empiricist philsophy, Hume influenced writers including Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, William James, and Jeremy Bentham, and his work is often considered a precursor to contemporary cognitive science.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Enoch on May 17, 2014

A "skeptic" in the true sense of the word, dedicated to the task of demolishing the arrogant pretensions of the many rationalist systems of his time. Here, Hume points out various holes in various central concepts of the developing modern philosophy - the notion of cause and effect, of liberty and n......more

Goodreads review by Joseph on April 27, 2021

David Hume is an eighteenth-century English philosopher who had a more skeptical outlook. In this short work from later in his life, he writes about various issues around what humans know and how we know those things. He starts out with a distinction between moral philosophy and natural philosophy.......more

Goodreads review by Sam on July 16, 2011

I don't typically give up on books, especially philosophic texts. But Hume is quite onerous to read (or, at least, this particular set of works is onerous to read). Certainly, Hume has contributed much to philosophic thought, and everyone should be familiar with his ideas. But, as with many Enlighte......more

Goodreads review by Kathleen on April 26, 2014

Of the philosophers I have had to read so far for my 896 exam, Hume is my favorite. He does what the best analytic philosophers do, which is to draw very radical conclusions in a very orthodox way. After reading this book, I am interested in learning more in particular about Hume's implications for......more

Goodreads review by Wenqin on October 12, 2018

I think this is the book I realized that I’m probably more interested in social science rather than pure philosophy (especially ontology). It simply can’t convince me when the author has some mistakes/some non-conforming examples in his logic, and he’s still trying to over generalize things in this......more