“It is evident, that all the sciences have a relation, greater or less, to human nature: and that however wide any of them may seem to run from it, they still return back by one passage or another. Even Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Natural Religion, are in some measure dependent on the science of MAN; since the lie under the cognizance of men, and are judged of by their powers and faculties … consequently we ourselves are not only the beings, that reason, but also one of the objects, concerning which we reason.”
– Introduction to David Hume’s “A Treatise of Human Nature” (1739-1740), as written by the author himself
I had heard very little about David Hume, before listening to this audiobook. But after listening to this presentation, I was (and still am) convinced that he is one of the greatest philosophers of all time. His influence was massive, and he wrote on many topics – something that was more common then. For example, he wrote on history, politics, and economics as well as philosophy. But he is most famous for his original contributions to the philosophy of science, and the debate over what is the most reliable foundation of human knowledge. It was in this regard that Immanuel Kant once paid him a heartfelt compliment. Kant said that “the suggestion of David Hume was the very thing, which many years ago first awakened me from my dogmatic slumber.” (See the full quote and its citation here.)
But this audiobook is partly a biography of David Hume himself. They tell his fascinating life story, and help the reader to put his ideas into the context of his life. David Hume’s best friend was his fellow Scotsman Adam Smith. Adam Smith would later become famous for his work “The Wealth of Nations” (written 1776). In that great book, Adam Smith acknowledged the influence of David Hume upon his philosophy. Adam Smith is much more famous than David Hume, and is often considered to be the “founder of economic science.” But some believe that David Hume should be considered one of the co-founders of the subject along with Adam Smith, and there seems to be good reason for this. His “Essays, Moral, Political, Literary” are among the founding works of the new “economic science.”
Statues of David Hume and Adam Smith
Hume’s “Essays” also put forth many innovative doctrines about ethics and politics. This audiobook’s discussion of Hume’s “Essays” made me want to read them, something that I might well do at some point. Hume was also famous for his work “History of England,” which was a standard work on the subject in his time. Some of the arguments – not to mention historical examples – would later find their way into Adam Smith’s “The Wealth of Nations.” This is another topic that they discuss in this audiobook. These works on history, politics, and economics were among the only Hume works to achieve fame within his own lifetime. Some of his other works only enjoyed an influence after Hume’s death in 1776.
David Hume
As mentioned earlier, Hume also had an influence upon the philosophy of science. For example, he helped to advance our understanding of the problem of induction. This was another contribution to economics, since economics is indeed a science that is based upon empirical investigations. It truly deserves to be called a “social science,” unlike some other disciplines that I could name. (But that’s a subject for another post.) But Hume’s work would also have a powerful effect on the natural sciences, and on most other sciences. He talked about how empirical data has to be processed by our own human faculties. Thus, the “science of man” (as he called it) cannot be separated from our nature as human beings. There is a need for both logic and empirical evidence. Thus, Hume correctly argued that it is silly to have to choose between them.
David Hume
I could say much more about Hume’s contributions, but suffice it to say that this audiobook is a great introduction to most of the major ones. It helps to give a broad overview of these contributions, rather than focusing on just one particular aspect of them. It helps to place his ideas into the context of the times, including his own life. It’s also a great telling of his life story (as mentioned earlier), and how it affected his works. It also features the brilliant narration of Charlton Heston, whose ability to make these complex ideas “come to life” is incomparable. (He narrates the entire series “The Giants of Philosophy,” of which this audiobook is just one installment.) And this is one of the best audiobooks that I’ve ever heard.
“There is no question of importance, whose decision is not comprised in the science of man; and there is none, which can be decided with any certainty, before we become acquainted with that science. In pretending, therefore, to explain the principles of human nature, we in effect propose a compleat system of the sciences, built on a foundation almost entirely new, and the only one upon which they can stand with any security.”
– Introduction to David Hume’s “A Treatise of Human Nature” (1739-1740), as written by the author himself
If you liked this post, you might also like:
Part of an audiobook series
The Giants of Philosophy
David Hume
Others to be covered later
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