In this book, Professor Pears examines the foundations of
Hume's system as laid down in the first book of his Treatise,
where his ideas are presented in their first fresh and undiluted
form. The author steers a middle course between the two extreme
views adopted in recent writings on Hume: that he relies
exclusively on a theory of meaning, or that he relies exclusively
on a theory of truth and evidence. Professor Pears argues that
Hume's theory of ideas serves both functions, and he examines
in detail its application to three difficult problems: causation,
personal identity, and sense-perception. Hume's solutions are
shown not to be theories which can be given a place in a standard
classification of philosophical theories, but rather to depend upon
a subtle form of naturalism not altogether unlike
Wittgenstein's naturalism.
Table of contents:
I: Hume's General Theory of Mind: A General Account of
Hume's Theory of Mind; The Derivation of Ideas from
Impressions; Memory; Belief and Existence; II: The Application of
the Theory of Mind to Three Problems: Causation Personal Identity
and Perception: Causation: The Evidence and its First Effect on Us;
Causation: The Gap Between Evidence and Belief; Causation: The
Second Effect of the Evidence; Personal Identity: The Problem an
Hume's Rejection of Current Solutions; Personal Identity:
Hume's solution and his later Recantation; Sense-Perception:
Hume's Assessment of the Problem and his Strategy for
Eliminating Current Solutions; Sense Perception: Hume's Heroic
Solution
This lucid study of the foundation of Hume's system differs
from other books on the subject by steering a middle course between
two popular but extreme views: that Hume's relies exclusively
on a theory of meaning and that he relies exclusively on a theory
of truth and evidence. Unlike other studies, too, Pears
concentrates on the first book of Hume's Treatise, which is
where his ideas were presented in a fresh and undiluted form. Hume
is essential reading for all students of philosophy, and the book
covers several topics which are encountered on a philosophy course
(see market).
"The book will prove very useful as an aid in teaching. (It reads as if it grew from lecture notes)...Fine expository strategy."--Philosophy and Phenomenological Research
Inhaltsangabe
I: Hume's General Theory of Mind: A General Account of Hume's Theory of Mind The Derivation of Ideas from Impressions Memory Belief and Existence II: The Application of the Theory of Mind to Three Problems: Causation Personal Identity and Perception: Causation: The Evidence and its First Effect on Us Causation: The Gap Between Evidence and Belief Causation: The Second Effect of the Evidence Personal Identity: The Problem an Hume's Rejection of Current Solutions Personal Identity: Hume's solution and his later Recantation Sense-Perception: Hume's Assessment of the Problem and his Strategy for Eliminating Current Solutions Sense Perception: Hume's Heroic Solution
