Description
In this landmark work of Scottish Enlightenment philosophy, David Hume investigates how moral judgments are formed, asking what roles sentiment and reason truly play in our sense of right and wrong. Rather than treating ethics as a matter of abstract deduction, he advances an experimental, evidence-minded approach that draws general moral principles from observed human behavior and experience. Hume argues that moral approval and disapproval arise primarily from our feelings—especially sympathy—while reason serves a more limited function, helping us understand facts and coordinate our judgments rather than generating moral value. With its clear, systematic style and enduring influence on moral psychology, this “second Enquiry” reshapes the foundations of ethics by challenging moral rationalism and reframing morality as something rooted in human nature.
Available Editions
paperback
Hackett Pub. Co.
Published Jan 1, 1983
122 pages
ISBN: 9780915145461
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Details
First Published
1751
Language
eng
Content Warnings
No content warnings identified.