What did Hume believe about ethics?

Hume’s Moral Sense Theory. Hume claims that if reason is not responsible for our ability to distinguish moral goodness from badness, then there must be some other capacity of human beings that enables us to make moral distinctions (T 3.1. 1.4).

What is the philosophical principles of Hume?

Hume identifies three principles of association: resemblance, contiguity in time and place, and causation.

How does Hume characterize the principle of self love?

“Self-love is a principle in human nature of such extensive energy, and the interest of each individual is, in general, so closely connected with that of the community, that those philosophers were excusable, who fancied, that all our concern for the public might be resolved into a concern for our own happiness and …

Is Hume a non Cognitivist?

Hume was not arguing for non-cognitivism since he was not a non-cognitivist. For Hume, moral properties are akin to secondary qualities, a view he derived from his sometime hero Francis Hutcheson.

What is Hume known for?

David Hume, (born May 7 [April 26, Old Style], 1711, Edinburgh, Scotland—died August 25, 1776, Edinburgh), Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. Hume conceived of philosophy as the inductive, experimental science of human nature.

What were David Hume’s ideas?

Hume’s philosophy is built around a single powerful observation: that the key thing we need to get right in life is feeling rather than rationality. It sounds like an odd conclusion.

What is principle of uniformity of the nature for Hume?

The uniformity of nature is the principle that the course of nature continues uniformly the same, e.g. if X is the cause Y, then Y will necessarily exist whenever X exists.

What is Hume’s philosophy of ethics?

Hume’s Moral Philosophy. Hume’s position in ethics, which is based on his empiricist theory of the mind, is best known for asserting four theses: (1) Reason alone cannot be a motive to the will, but rather is the “slave of the passions” (see Section 3) (2) Moral distinctions are not derived from reason (see Section 4).

What does Hume mean by virtue according to Hume?

On Hume’s view, the judgments and recommendations of traditional morality arise not from reason, but from a moral sense. As a straightforward matter of fact (discoverable by experience), virtue is always accompanied by a feeling of pleasure, and vice by a feeling of pain.

Is Hume’s virtue ethics pluralistic?

Hume is located within a pluralistic virtue ethics where virtue notions are central and a variety of features make traits “naturally fitted” to be approved as virtues. Hume’s virtue ethics is understood as response-dependent, being grounded in an emotional kind of “moral sense” as suitably objective and as conforming to his basic empiricism.

What are the virtues of human excellence according to Hume?

Hume’s account of the natural virtues, such as kindness, benevolence, pride, and courage, is explained with rhetorically gripping and vivid illustrations. The picture of human excellence that Hume paints for the reader equally recognizes the human tendency to praise the qualities of the good friend and those of the inspiring leader.