A Treatise of Human Nature

A Treatise of Human Nature (1738–40) is a book by Scottish philosopher David Hume, considered by many to be Hume's most important work and one of the most influential works in the history of philosophy. The Treatise is a classic statement of philosophical empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism. In the introduction Hume presents the idea of placing all science and philosophy on a novel foundation: namely, an empirical investigation into human nature.

Introduction

Nothing is more usual and more natural for those, who pretend to discover any thing new to the wo...

Book 1: Of the understanding

Part I: Of ideas, their origin, composition, connexion, abstraction, etc.

Section I. Of the origin of our ideas All the perceptions of the human mind resolve themselves i...

Part II: Of the ideas of space and time

Section I. Of the infinite divisibility of our idea of space and time Whatever has the air of a ...

Part III: Of knowledge and probability

Section I. Of knowledge There are 1 seven different kinds of philosophical relation, viz. resemb...

Part IV: Of the sceptical and other systems of philosophy

Section I. Of scepticism with regard to reason In all demonstrative sciences the rules are certa...

Book 2: Of the passions

Part I: Of pride and humility

Section I. Division of the subject As all the perceptions of the mind may be divided into impres...

Part II: Of love and hatred.

Section I. Of the objects and causes of love and hatred ’Tis altogether impossible to give any d...

Part III: Of the will and direct passions.

Section I. Of liberty and necessity We come now to explain the direct passions, or the impressio...

Book 3: Of morals

Part I: Of virtue and vice in general.

Section I. Moral distinctions not deriv'd from reason There is an inconvenience which attends al...

Part II: Of justice and injustice.

Section I. Justice, whether a natural or artificial virtue I have already hinted, that our sense...

PART III: Of the other virtues and vices.

Section I. Of the origin of the natural virtues and vices We come now to the examination of such...

Appendix

There is nothing I wou'd more willingly lay hold of, than an opportunity of confessing my errors;...