Essays

Hume, David, 1711-1776Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.5

Word count: 211K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Essays by David HumeAuthor: Hume, David, 1711-1776,Language: English, Class: B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Release Date: May 17, 2011

Editor's review

Essays is a collection of essays by the Scottish philosopher David Hume, bringing together short pieces on philosophy, ethics, politics, and taste; it is part of the Project Gutenberg free public-domain ebook collection. Hume is known for clear, elegant English prose. These essays are moderate in length and wide-ranging in topic, suitable both as an introduction to philosophy and for appreciating his style. For Chinese readers, this is a light entry point to Hume's thought, less demanding than his major works. You need not understand every argument in one reading; choose the pieces that interest you for close reading and notice how Hume handles abstract questions in everyday language. It suits readers interested in philosophy and intellectual history who have some English reading ability and prefer slow, careful reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Hume's philosophy and British empiricism
Learners who want to improve critical reading through English essays
Readers who prefer short intellectual essays and have fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Professional researchers seeking a systematic study of Hume's philosophical system
Beginners who struggle with English reading and need a translation
Readers expecting continuous plot or light entertainment

Reading tips

Choose essays by interest; no need to read from start to finish in order
Write two or three sentences summarizing each essay to sort out its core argument
Use a Chinese translation alongside to resolve difficult long sentences

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What topics does this Essays collection cover?

Hume's essays touch on philosophy, ethics, politics, taste, literature, and more, each standing alone. Readers can pick topics of interest from the table of contents first and need not read straight through.

Do I need a philosophy background to read this book?

Not strictly. Hume's essays are known for clarity and accessibility, so general readers can enter directly. Basic philosophical knowledge makes the arguments easier to follow, but it is not required.

Should I choose the original English or a Chinese translation?

Read the original if you want to practice English reading, using a translation to resolve difficulties; if understanding the ideas is the main goal, a Chinese translation is more efficient. Reading the two side by side is also a good approach.

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About the author

Hume, David, 1711-1776 Author

David Hume (1711–1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian and essayist whose thought had a profound influence on modern philosophy and historiography. The collection contains fifteen of his works, covering philosophy, religion, morality, knowledge and history. His representative works include A Treatise of Human Nature, which systematically examines understanding, the passions and morals and lays the foundation of his empiricist position; An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding and An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, which restate these ideas in a clearer style; Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, which explores religious belief through reasoned debate; and The History of England, which represents another side of his historical writing. His prose is clear, cautious and sceptical, and he excels at turning abstract questions into readable discussion. Public information is limited, so biographical details are not developed here; this introduction focuses on the subjects and influence of his works.