Enquiry concerning the principles of morals / Hume, David, 1711-1776.

Examines each section of Hume's second Enquiry in detail and considers its place within Hume's philosophy as a whole.

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A genuine understanding of Hume's extraordinarily rich, important, and influential moral philosophy requires familiarity with all of his writings on vice and virtue, the passions, the will, and even judgments of beauty--and that means familiarity not only with large portions of A Treatise of Human Nature, but also with An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals and many of his essays as well. This volume is the one truly comprehensive collection of Hume's work on all of these topics. Geoffrey Sayre-McCord, a leading moral philosopher and Hume scholar, has done a meticulous job of editing the texts and has provided an extensive Introduction that is at once accessible, accurate, and philosophically engaging, revealing the deep structure of Hume's moral philosophy. --Don Garrett, New York University

An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals by David Hume invites readers to explore the fundamental principles that shape human morality. Hume's insightful investigation weaves together philosophy and psychology, unraveling the threads of ethics and human behavior. Engaging and enlightening, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals challenges conventional notions of right and wrong, urging readers to examine the underlying motivations and implications of their moral judgments. But this philosophical exploration is not a dry and academic exercise; rather, it delves into the very essence of human nature and our capacity for compassion, empathy, and moral reasoning. Why embark on this intellectual journey? Because within these pages, you'll encounter a tapestry of philosophical ideas that will spark your curiosity and enrich your understanding of the moral landscape that shapes our lives. Allow David Hume to guide you on this profound quest for insight and self-discovery.

Hume considered his Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals to be one of his best works. In it he offers his most elegant and approachable account of the origins and scope of morality. With the hope of reaching a broad audience, he argues that morality is neither rigid nor austere, but is rather a product of sentiments that all human beings share, and which they are naturally inclined to recognize and act upon. In this Critical Guide, a team of distinguished scholars discuss each section of the Enquiry, its place in Hume's philosophy as a whole, and its historical context; their topics include the nature of morals, talents and moral virtues, benevolence, sympathy, and the sources of moral disagreement. The volume will be valuable for scholars and advanced students working on Hume.

This expanded edition of James Ellington’s preeminent translation includes Ellington’s new translation of Kant’s essay Of a Supposed Right to Lie Because of Philanthropic Concerns in which Kant replies to one of the standard objections to his moral theory as presented in the main text: that it requires us to tell the truth even in the face of disastrous consequences.

A landmark of enlightenment though, HUme's An Enquiry Concerning Human understanding is accompanied here by two shorter works that shed light on it: A Letter from a Gentlemen to His Friend in Edinburgh, hume's response to those accusing him of atheism, of advocating extreme scepticism, and of undermining the foundations of morality; and his Abstract of A Treatise of HUman Nature, which anticipates discussions developed in the Enquiry. In his concise Introduction, Eric Steinberg explores the conditions that led to write the Enquiry and the work's important relationship to Book 1 of Hume's A Treatise of Human Nature.