David Hume
1. Life and Works
Born in Edinburgh, Hume spent his childhood at Ninewells, his family’s modest estate in the border lowlands. He came from a “good family” (MOL 2)—socially well connected but not wealthy. His father died just after David’s second birthday, leaving him and his elder brother and sister in
the care of our Mother, a woman of singular Merit, who, though young and handsome, devoted herself entirely to the rearing and educating of her Children. (MOL 3)
Katherine Falconer Hume realized that David was uncommonly precocious, so when his older brother went up to Edinburgh University, Hume went with him, although he was only 10 or There he studied Latin and Greek, read widely in history and literature, ancient and modern philosophy, and also did some mathematics and natural philosophy—what we now call natural science.
The education David received, both at home and at the university, aimed at training pupils to a life of virtue regulated by stern Scottish Calvinist strictures. Prayers and sermons were prominent aspects of his home and university life. At some point, Hume read The Whole Duty of Man, a widely circulat
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David Hume
- Born: May 7, (Edinburgh, Scotland)
- Died: August 25, (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Biography
David Hume was born in in Edinburgh, Scotland, originally with the surname &#;Home&#;. He enrolled at the University of Edinburgh at around age 10 &#; much younger than the usual age of He initially studied law but soon turned to philosophy.
At around age 18, Hume became obsessed with a &#;new Scene of Thought&#; &#; the exact nature of which is unknown &#; and decided to dedicate himself entirely to philosophy, ignoring &#;every other Pleasure or Business to apply entirely to it&#;. However, this obsession led to a period of physical and mental strain, and Hume became ill. His doctor prescribed him &#;anti-hysteric pills&#; to be taken daily with wine. Although this improved his health initially, in , Hume began experiencing an intense appetite and palpitations. This appetite transformed Hume from &#; in his words &#; &#;tall, lean and raw-bon&#;d&#; to &#;sturdy, robust [and] healthful-like&#;. Hume became well-known for his obese frame and would often reference port and cheese in his philosophy.
Hume’s first major work, A Tre
Text Preview David Hume, philosopher, historian, and man of letters, was a native of Scotland. Although engaged for short periods of time in a number of different pursuits, he was primarily a scholar, and his interest in the problems of philosophy became the dominant passion of his entire adult life. He was a man of moderate temperament, modest disposition, keen intellect, and sincere devotion to the cause of truth. He lived a relatively quiet type of life and was a highly respected member of the community in which he lived. He never married, although he enjoyed his associations with women, and his relations with friends and neighbors of both sexes were honorable and amiable. He spent the most of his life in either Scotland or England, with only relatively short periods of residence on the European continent. He served for a time as a member of the embassy in Paris, where he was well received by the French people, who came to speak of him as le bon David. For one who had been reared in a Scotch Presbyterian environment, his departure from customary religious practices and beliefs was shocking to many of his associates and friends. Their criticism of his behavior was annoying
David Hume (7 May – 25 August ) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and scepticism. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment. Hume is often grouped with John Locke, George Berkeley, and a handful of others as a British Empiricist. &#;He is happy, whose circumstances suit his temper; but he is more excellent, who can suit his temper to any circumstances.&#; David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals () Beginning with his A Treatise of Human Nature (), Hume strove to create a total naturalistic &#;science of man&#; that examined the psychological basis of human nature. In stark opposition to the rationalists who preceded him, most notably Descartes, he concluded that desire rather than reason governed human behaviour, saying famously: &#;Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions.&#; &#;men are not astonish&#;d at the operations of their own reason, at the same time, that they admire the instinct of animals, and find a difficulty in explaining it, merely because it cannot be reduc&#;d t
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