Philosophical Works, v. 2 cover

Philosophical Works, v. 2

Rating 4.6
Word count
946K words
Chapters
95

Tags

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. Philosophical Works, v. 2 (of 4) by David Hume. Author: Hume, David, 1711-1776. Language: English. Class: B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion. Release Date: Dec 22, 2016

Editor's review

This is the second of four volumes of Hume's philosophical works, a public-domain eBook in English. Hume's philosophical writing is known for clear argumentation and a restrained style; this volume contains part of his philosophical works and is suitable as an intermediate step for systematic study of Hume. The value of reading such works lies not in quickly obtaining conclusions but in following the steps of argument and seeing how empiricist philosophy unfolds step by step. For philosophy majors, this book can serve as a course reference; for enthusiasts with some background in philosophical reading, it is suitable for slow reading in fixed sessions, using notes to sort out the argument structure. Public-domain eBooks are easy to search and excerpt, but usually lack modern editorial notes; when encountering obstacles in terminology or historical background, secondary literature is needed. Overall, this is a text that requires patience and some background knowledge to fully digest, and is not suitable for readers seeking light reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Philosophy majors who need the original text of Hume's works as course reference
  • Enthusiasts with a foundation in the history of Western philosophy who want to study Hume systematically
  • Researchers who need the English original as material for papers
  • Readers accustomed to slow reading of argumentative texts and willing to take reading notes

Not a good fit for

  • Ordinary readers without philosophical reading experience; the argumentation is dense
  • Readers who only want popular philosophy books; this book is the scholarly original text
  • Beginners who need detailed modern annotations and introductions
  • Readers who hope to read quickly through without notes; they may easily lose the thread of the argument

Reading tips

  1. First review Hume's A Treatise of Human Nature or relevant chapters of a history of philosophy to build a background framework before reading this volume
  2. Take notes on the argument structure chapter by chapter, marking premises, inferences, and conclusions for easy reference
  3. When encountering terminology obstacles, consult a philosophy dictionary or secondary research literature; do not force your way through
  4. Read a small section at a fixed time each day and write two or three sentences of summary; this is more effective than reading straight through at once

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.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
  52. 52
  53. 53
  54. 54
  55. 55
  56. 56
  57. 57
  58. 58
  59. 59
  60. 60
  61. 61
  62. 62
  63. 63
  64. 64
  65. 65
  66. 66
  67. 67
  68. 68
  69. 69
  70. 70
  71. 71
  72. 72
  73. 73
  74. 74
  75. 75
  76. 76
  77. 77
  78. 78
  79. 79
  80. 80
  81. 81
  82. 82
  83. 83
  84. 84
  85. 85
  86. 86
  87. 87
  88. 88
  89. 89
  90. 90
  91. 91
  92. 92
  93. 93
  94. 94
  95. 95

FAQ

Can I read this book without a philosophy background?
It is advisable to first have a basic framework of the history of Western philosophy, especially background in empiricism; otherwise the density of argumentation can make reading difficult. You can first read the chapters on Hume in a history of philosophy textbook, then move on to the original text.
Which part of Hume's works is this?
This is the second of four volumes of Hume's philosophical works and contains part of his philosophical writings. The specific contents should be confirmed by checking the eBook's table of contents; it is advisable to browse the table of contents before reading to understand the scope of this volume.
What should I do if the public-domain eBook lacks annotations?
You can read it alongside a philosophy dictionary, a history of philosophy textbook, or the introduction to a scholarly edition of Hume's works. When encountering key terms and historical background issues, supplementing with secondary research literature can noticeably lower the threshold for reading.

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About the 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.