AN ENQUIRY CONCERNING HUMAN UNDERSTANDING David Hume Author
- libro nuevoISBN: 2940012611444
CONTENTS I. Of the different Species of Philosophy II. Of the Origin of Ideas III. Of the Association of Ideas IV. Sceptical Doubts concerning the Operations of the Understand… Más…
CONTENTS I. Of the different Species of Philosophy II. Of the Origin of Ideas III. Of the Association of Ideas IV. Sceptical Doubts concerning the Operations of the Understanding V. Sceptical Solution of these Doubts VI. Of Probability VII. Of the Idea of necessary Connexion VIII. Of Liberty and Necessity IX. Of the Reason of Animals X. Of Miracles XI. Of a particular Providence and of a future State XII. Of the academical or sceptical Philosophy INDEXSECTION I.OF THE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF PHILOSOPHY.1. Moral philosophy, or the science of human nature, may be treatedafter two different manners; each of which has its peculiar merit, andmay contribute to the entertainment, instruction, and reformation ofmankind. The one considers man chiefly as born for action; and asinfluenced in his measures by taste and sentiment; pursuing one object,and avoiding another, according to the value which these objects seem topossess, and according to the light in which they present themselves. Asvirtue, of all objects, is allowed to be the most valuable, this speciesof philosophers paint her in the most amiable colours; borrowing allhelps from poetry and eloquence, and treating their subject in an easyand obvious manner, and such as is best fitted to please theimagination, and engage the affections. They select the most strikingobservations and instances from common life; place opposite charactersin a proper contrast; and alluring us into the paths of virtue by theviews of glory and happiness, direct our steps in these paths by thesoundest precepts and most illustrious examples. They make us _feel_ thedifference between vice and virtue; they excite and regulate oursentiments; and so they can but bend our hearts to the love of probityand true honour, they think, that they have fully attained the end ofall their labours.2. The other species of philosophers consider man in the light of areasonable rather than an active being, and endeavour to form hisunderstanding more than cultivate his manners. They regard human natureas a subject of speculation; and with a narrow scrutiny examine it, inorder to find those principles, which regulate our understanding, exciteour sentiments, and make us approve or blame any particular object,action, or behaviour. They think it a reproach to all literature, thatphilosophy should not yet have fixed, beyond controversy, the foundationof morals, reasoning, and criticism; and should for ever talk of truthand falsehood, vice and virtue, beauty and deformity, without being ableto determine the source of these distinctions. While they attempt thisarduous task, they are deterred by no difficulties; but proceeding fromparticular instances to general principles, they still push on theirenquiries to principles more general, and rest not satisfied till theyarrive at those original principles, by which, in every science, allhuman curiosity must be bounded. Though their speculations seemabstract, and even unintelligible to common readers, they aim at theapprobation of the learned and the wise; and think themselvessufficiently compensated for the labour of their whole lives, if theycan discover some hidden truths, which may contribute to the instructionof posterity.3. It is certain that the easy and obvious philosophy will always, withthe generality of mankind, have the preference above the accurate andabstruse; and by many will be recommended, not only as more agreeable,but more useful than the other. It enters more into common life; mouldsthe heart and affections; and, by touching those principles whichactuate men, reforms their conduct, and brings them nearer to that modelof perfection which it describes. On the contrary, the abstrusephilosophy, being founded on a turn of mind, which cannot enter intobusiness and action, vanishes when the philosopher leaves the shade, andcomes into open day; nor can its principles easily retain any influenceover our conduct and behaviour. The feelings of our heart, the agitationof our passions, the vehemence of our affections, dissipate all itsconclusions, and reduce the profound philosopher to a mere plebeian.4. This also must be confessed, that the most durable, as well asjustest fame, has been acquired by the easy philosophy, and thatabstract reasoners seem hitherto to have enjoyed only a momentaryreputation, from the caprice or ignorance of their own age, but have notbeen able to support their renown with more equitable posterity. Digital Content>E-books>Philosophy>Linguistics>Linguistics, SAP Digital >16<
