Hume 哲學一智 493032296 周子維

David Hume

David Hume was born in 1711 to a moderately wealthy family from Scotland, near Edinburgh. His background was politically Whiggish and religiously Calvinistic. His widowed mother educated Hume until he left for the University of Edinburgh at the age of eleven.
Leaving the University of Edinburgh at around age fifteen to pursue his education privately, he was encouraged to consider a career in law, but his interests turned to philosophy.

In 1741 and 1742 Hume published his two-volume Essays, Moral and Political.
In 1748 he added to the above collection an essay titled "Of National Characters.
In 1751 Hume published his Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals, which recasts in a very different form parts of Book III of his Treatise.
In 1756 a volume of Hume's essays titled Five Dissertations was printed and ready for distribution. The essays included (1) "The Natural History of Religion," (2) "Of the Passions," (3) "Of Tragedy," (4) "Of Suicide," and (5) "Of the Immortality of the Soul.
In 1776, at age 65, he died from an internal disorder, which had plagued him for many months.

1 Gary: Please introduce your background.
David Hume: I was born in 1711 to a moderately wealthy family from Scotland, near Edinburgh.
2 Gary: How many books do you have?
David Hume: There are too many books. I forget it. But Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Enquiry Concerning the Principle of Morals, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion is the most important.
3 Gary: Why are you ancestor of the empiricism?
David Hume: Because of my conformity predecessor's theory.
4 Gary: What the influence of philosophy to human?
David Hume: Philosophy is not only origin of all knowledge but also can make our thoughts more mature.

5 Gary: Why do you study philosophy?
David Hume: Because philosophy can help us know the world and solve many problems.
6 Gary: What your opinion to religion?
David Hume: I think we can use it to improve our society. If a religion cannot approach the purpose, it’s not meaningful.
7 Gary: What your opinion to ethics?
David Hume: I think justice is the foundation of ethics. Justice not only human’s nature idea, but also the lowest standard for making a law.
8 Gary: What the contents in your epistemology?
David Hume: I have three rules in my epistemology: resemblance, continuity, causality.
9 Gary: What is Neo-Positivism?
David Hume: I think experiences are the foundation of knowledge only when a theory can be proved by experience. It’s true.

10 David Hume: Why do you choose me for the homework?
Gary: Because you influence is huge not only people at your time was effected but also people today.