David Hume’s Humanity: The Philosophy of Common Life and Its Limits (Recovering Political Philosophy)

Scott Yenor Argues That David Hume's Reputation As A Skeptic Is Greatly Exaggerated. In David Hume's Humanity, Yenor Shows How Hume's Skepticism Is A Moment Leading Hume To Defend A Philosophy That Is Grounded In The Inescapable Assumptions Of Common Life. Humane Virtues Reflect The Proper Reaction To The Complex Mixture Of Human Faculties That Define The Human Condition. These Gentle Virtues Best Find Their Home In The Modern Commercial Republic, Of Which England Is The Leading Example. Hume's Defense Of Both Common Life Philosophy And Humanity Are, However, Flawed By His Secretly Dogmatic Assumptions About The Nature Of History And His Enlightened Approach To Religious Teachings And Psychology. This Study Makes The Case For Hume's Manner Of Grounding Philosophy In Common Life Is Essential To Any Reinvigoration Of The Humanities. It Ultimately Holds That Hume's Practice Of That Philosophy Is Seriously Flawed, But That A More Philosophic Philosophy Of Common Life Is Available-- Scott Yenor Argues That David Hume's Reputation As A Skeptic Is Greatly Exaggerated And That His Skepticism Is A Moment Leading Hume To Defend Common Life Philosophy And The Humane Commercial Republic. Gentle, Humane Virtues Reflect The Proper Reaction To The Complex Mixture Of Human Faculties That Define The Human Condition-- David Hume's Philosophy Of Common Life -- Nothing But Sophistry And Illusion : Metaphysical Speculation Before Hume -- Active Sovereignty In Natural And Moral Philosophy -- Mitigated Scepticism And Our Mixed Kind Of Life : The Philosophic Modesty Of Hume's Science Of Common Life -- The Liberal Imagination And The Problem Of Abstract Speculative Principles In Politics -- Humanity And Commerce -- Religious Revolution And England's Humane Political Constitution -- Religious Belief And Hume's Philosophy Of Common Life -- Humanity And Theology In Hume's Religious Dialogues -- Toward A More Philosophical Philosophy Of Common Life. Scott Yenor. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xv David Hume’s Philosophy of Common Life....Pages 1-11 “Nothing but Sophistry and Illusion”: Metaphysical Speculation before Hume....Pages 13-27 Active Sovereignty in Natural and Moral Philosophy....Pages 29-49 “Mitigated Scepticism” and Our “Mixed Kind of Life”: The Philosophic Modesty of Hume’s Science of Common Life....Pages 51-74 The Liberal Imagination and the Problem of Abstract Speculative Principles in Politics....Pages 75-95 Humanity and Commerce....Pages 97-121 Religious Revolution and England’s Humane Political Constitution....Pages 123-153 Religious Belief and Hume’s Philosophy of Common Life....Pages 155-173 Humanity and Theology in Hume’s Religious Dialogues....Pages 175-197 Toward a More Philosophical Philosophy of Common Life....Pages 199-209 Back Matter....Pages 211-246