Essays On The Principles Of Morality And Natural Religion: Several Essays Added Concerning The Proof Of A Deity (Natural Law and Enlightenment Classics)

The Essays is commonly considered Kames’s most important philosophical work. In the first part, he sets forth the principles and foundations of morality and justice, attacking Hume’s moral skepticism and addressing the controversial issue of the freedom of human will. In the second part, Kames focuses on questions of metaphysics and epistemology to offer a natural theology in which the authority of the external senses is an important basis for belief in the Deity.Like Shaftesbury, Hutcheson, and Butler, Kames rejected the idea that morality is founded on self-interest and argued that human beings naturally possess a “moral sense,” or conscience. At the same time, Kames believed our naturally benevolent inclinations could become law-like only through the principle of justice, which “guards the persons, the property, and the reputation of individuals, and gives authority to promises and covenants.”He also sought to counter the epistemological skepticism of Berkeley and Hume, insisting that our sense perceptions must be trustworthy because they have been designed for us by a benevolent Deity. “In its concern to vindicate the veracity of our common moral intuitions and sense perceptions that are rooted in our very nature,” Mary Catherine Moran writes, “the Essays on the Principles of Morality and Natural Religion helped found the Scottish Common Sense school,” a philosophy that was given its classic formulation by Kames’s friend Thomas Reid.The text of this volume is based on the third edition of 1779, while the appendix presents substantial variant readings in the first and second editions.. Henry Home, Lord Kames (1696–1782), one of the leaders of the Scottish Enlightenment, was a judge in the supreme courts of Scotland and wrote extensively on morals, religion, education, aesthetics, history, political economy, and law, including natural law. His most distinctive contribution came through his works on the nature of law, where he sought to combine a philosophical approach with an empirical history of legal evolution. Mary Catherine Moran taught in the Department of History at Columbia University. Knud Haakonssen is Professor of Intellectual History and Director of the Centre for Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, England. Front Matter......Page 1 Title Page......Page 5 Contents, p. vii......Page 7 Introduction, p. ix......Page 9 Title Page......Page 21 Preface to the Former Editions, p. 3......Page 23 Preface to the Present Edition, p. 5......Page 25 Contents, p. 7......Page 27 Part I......Page 29 Essay I. Our Attachment to Objects of Distress, p. 11......Page 31 Introduction, p. 23......Page 43 Chap. I. Foundation of Morality, p. 24......Page 44 Chap. II. Moral Sense, p. 26......Page 46 Chap. III. Duty and Obligation, p. 30......Page 50 Chap. IV. Different Ranks of Moral Virtues, p. 37......Page 57 Chap. V. Principles of Action, p. 40......Page 60 Chap. VI. Justice and Injustice, p. 46......Page 66 Chap. VII. Primary Laws of Nature, p. 55......Page 75 Chap. VIII. Law of Nations, p. 61......Page 81 Chap. IX. Various Opinions concerning the Foundation of Morality, p. 66......Page 86 Essay III. Liberty and Necessity, p. 97......Page 117 Essay IV. Personal Identity, p. 125......Page 145 Appendix. Containing the substance of a pamphlet wrote in defence of the third Essay, p. 131......Page 151 Part II......Page 161 Essay I. Belief, p. 143......Page 163 Sect. I. Perceptions of External Sense, p. 149......Page 169 Sect. II. Substance and Quality, p. 150......Page 170 Sect. III. Primary and Secondary Qualities, p. 154......Page 174 Sect. IV. Veracity of the External Senses, p. 157......Page 177 Essay III. Different Theories of Vision, p. 165......Page 185 Essay IV. Matter and Spirit, p. 179......Page 199 Essay V. Power, Cause and Effect, p. 185......Page 205 Essay VI. Knowledge of Future Events, p. 193......Page 213 Essay VII. Dread of Supernatural Powers in the Dark, p. 197......Page 217 Essay VIII. Knowledge of the Deity, p. 201......Page 221 Unity of the Deity, p. 217......Page 237 Benevolence of the Deity, p. 218......Page 238 Recapitulation, p. 229......Page 249 Appendix: Significant Variant Readings, p. 237......Page 257 Works Cited or Alluded to by Kames, p. 265......Page 285 Secondary Literature, p. 267......Page 287 Index, p. 269......Page 289 Colophon......Page 304 Henry Home (1696-1782) Has Been Called Perhaps The Most Complete 'enlightenment Man' Among The Eighteenth-century Scottish Thinkers. Kinsman And Friend Of David Hume, Mentor And Patron Of Adam Smith, John Millar, And Thomas Reid, He Was A Key Figure In That Circle Of Luminaries. He Read Law, Was Called To The Bar In 1723, Was Raised To The Bench Of The Court Of Session In 1752, With The Title Lord Kames (the Name Of His Family Estate), And Joined The High Court Of The Justiciary In 1763. Publishing Broadly In Law, History, Philosophy, And Criticism, Kames Made Significant Contributions To The Enlightenment's Science Of Human Nature. The Essays Is Commonly Considered Kames's Most Important Philosophical Work. In The First Part, He Sets Forth The Principles And Foundations Of Morality And Justice, Attacking Hume's Moral Skepticism And Addressing The Controversial Issue Of The Freedom Of Human Will. In The Second Part, Kames Focuses On Questions Of Metaphysics And Epistemology To Offer A Natural Theology In Which The Authority Of The External Senses Is An Important Basis For Belief In The Deity. The Text Of This Volume Is Based On The Third Edition Of 1779, While The Appendix Presents Substantial Variant Readings In The First And Second Editions.--jacket. Part I: Our Attachment To Objects Of Distress -- Foundation And Principles Of Morality -- Liberty And Necessity -- Personal Identity -- Part Ii: Belief -- External Senses -- Different Theories Of Vision -- Matter And Spirit -- Power, Cause And Effect -- Knowledge Of Future Events -- Dread Of Supernatural Powers In The Dark -- Knowledge Of The Deity -- Appendix: Significant Variant Readings. Henry Home, Lord Kames ; Edited And With An Introduction By Mary Catherine Moran. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.