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David Hume’s Moral Psychology: Taste and Sentiment

This reading list is for a discussion held at Liberty Fund on David Hume’s moral psychology.

The readings were drawn from two of his works:

• David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, Literary, edited and with a Foreword, Notes, and Glossary by Eugene F. Miller, with an appendix of variant readings from the 1889 edition by T.H. Green and T.H. Grose, revised edition (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund 1987).
• A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume,* reprinted from the Original Edition in three volumes and edited, with an analytical index, by L.A. Selby-Bigge, M.A. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896).

For additional readings see:

• David Hume (1711-1776)

• 1. From the Treatise: Book II (The Passions) Part I, sect. 1 “Division of the Subject”

  David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume, reprinted from the Original Edition in three volumes and edited, with an analytical index, by L.A. Selby-Bigge, M.A. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896). Chapter: SECTION I.: Division of the Subject.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/342/55135 on 2008-03-06

• 2. From the Treatise: Book II (The Passions) Part I, sect. 4 “Of the Relations of Impressions and Ideas”

  David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume, reprinted from the Original Edition in three volumes and edited, with an analytical index, by L.A. Selby-Bigge, M.A. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896). Chapter: SECTION IV.: Of the relations of impressions and ideas.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/342/55141 on 2008-03-06

• 3. From the Treatise: Book II (The Passions) Part I, sect. 8 “Of Beauty and Deformity”

  David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume, reprinted from the Original Edition in three volumes and edited, with an analytical index, by L.A. Selby-Bigge, M.A. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896). Chapter: SECTION VIII.: Of beauty and deformity.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/342/55149 on 2008-03-06

• 4. From the Treatise: Book II (The Passions) Part 3, sect. 3 “Of the Influencing Motives of the Will”

  David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume, reprinted from the Original Edition in three volumes and edited, with an analytical index, by L.A. Selby-Bigge, M.A. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896). Chapter: SECTION III.: Of the influencing motives of the will.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/342/55191 on 2008-03-06

• 5. From the Treatise: Book III (Morals) Part I, sect. 2 “Moral Distinctions derived from Moral Sense”

  David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume, reprinted from the Original Edition in three volumes and edited, with an analytical index, by L.A. Selby-Bigge, M.A. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896). Chapter: SECTION II.: Moral distinctions deriv’d from a moral sense.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/342/55213 on 2008-03-06

• 6. From the Treatise: Book III (Morals) Part 2, sect. 8 “Of the Sources of Allegiance”

  Note especially the famous footnote:

  This proposition must hold strictly true, with regard to every quality, that is determin’d merely by sentiment. In what sense we can talk either of a right or a wrong taste in morals, eloquence, or beauty, shall be consider’d afterwards. In the mean time, it may be observ’d, that there is such an uniformity in the general sentiments of mankind, as to render such questions of but small importance.

  David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume, reprinted from the Original Edition in three volumes and edited, with an analytical index, by L.A. Selby-Bigge, M.A. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896). Chapter: SECTION VIII.: Of the source of allegiance.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/342/55231 on 2008-03-06

• 7. From the Treatise: Book III (Morals) Part 3, sect. 1 “Of the Origin of the Natural Virtues and Vices”

  David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume, reprinted from the Original Edition in three volumes and edited, with an analytical index, by L.A. Selby-Bigge, M.A. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896). Chapter: SECTION I.: Of the origin of the natural virtues and vices.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/342/55243 on 2008-03-06

• 8. From the Essays: “Of the Standard of Taste”

  David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, Literary, edited and with a Foreword, Notes, and Glossary by Eugene F. Miller, with an appendix of variant readings from the 1889 edition by T.H. Green and T.H. Grose, revised edition (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund 1987). Chapter: ESSAY XXIII: OF THE STANDARD OF TASTE

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/704/137522 on 2008-03-06

• 9. From the Essays: “Of Delicacy of Taste and Passion”

  David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, Literary, edited and with a Foreword, Notes, and Glossary by Eugene F. Miller, with an appendix of variant readings from the 1889 edition by T.H. Green and T.H. Grose, revised edition (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund 1987). Chapter: ESSAY I: OF THE DELICACY OF TASTE AND PASSION

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/704/137478 on 2008-03-06

• 10. From the Essays: “Of Tragedy”

  David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, Literary, edited and with a Foreword, Notes, and Glossary by Eugene F. Miller, with an appendix of variant readings from the 1889 edition by T.H. Green and T.H. Grose, revised edition (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund 1987). Chapter: ESSAY XXII: OF TRAGEDY

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/704/137520 on 2008-03-06