An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

by David Hume Narrated by Seth Thompson

Overview

An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding is a book by David Hume, a philosopher from the 18th century. Hume is known for being an empiricist philosopher, meaning he believed that sensory experiences and solid evidence are all that matters when it comes to knowledge. Empiricism posits that rationalism and empirical evidence are required to truly be able to “know” anything, that no knowledge is inherent to humans and every person is a blank slate until they gain experiences.

This treatise is split into two sections, one which explains the basis of his philosophy and one that applies the epistemology to matters of life, government, academia, and nature. This in-depth and logic-driven presentation makes the empiricist philosophy more understandable even centuries after its publication.

Editorial Reviews

Jacqueline Taylor University of San Francisco

"The 1758 edition of An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding was the first to be grouped together with A Dissertation on the Passions, An Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals, and The Natural History of Religion. This grouping well reflects Hume's ambition to recast his earlier Treatise on Human Nature, and brings into relief his explicit criticism of religion. In four appendices, Lorne Falkenstein has thoughtfully chosen selections by Hume's contemporaries who challenge Hume on the central topics of the Enquiry: perception and reasoning, causation, and miracles. Falkenstein adds helpful notes providing further historical context. This is an excellent edition for undergraduate and graduate courses, and will be a welcome new resource for scholars."

Donald C. Ainslie University of Toronto

"David Hume's Enquiry concerning Human Understanding is a philosophical masterpiece that explores the nature of human cognition and the limits of our knowledge. This edition of the Enquiry helpfully puts the text in its historical context by presenting it alongside responses from Hume's most significant 18th-century critics: George Campbell, Thomas Reid, James Beattie, and Immanuel Kant. Lorne Falkenstein's incisive introduction and editorial comments offer readers, whether novice or expert, a sure hand as they navigate both the deceivingly straightforward text and the critics' responses."

OCTOBER 2015 - AudioFile

Hugh Ross reads Hume’s brief but important philosophical tract as the philosopher himself might, thinking his ideas through as he speaks, explaining them in an avuncular fashion, sounding as if he’s anxious to make them understood—while his skeptical inquiry devastatingly undermines cause and effect, free will, miracles, and skepticism. Ross’s use of intonation, emphasis, and expressiveness to mirror and, in a way, explicate the sense of the text is highly skilled. His British-accented voice is pleasant and clear, and his manner accessible, fitting Hume’s essayistic tone and famous clarity of style (though the arguments do demand close attention). Hume’s writing and Ross’s expressive rendering make listening to this text an enjoyable, thought-provoking walk to the edge of an epistemological cliff and over. W.M. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177484273
Publisher:	Spotify Audiobooks
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos