176 Pages
    by Routledge

    176 Pages
    by Routledge

    First Published in 1980. This volume looks at Hume's moral theory as a relatively neglected area of Hume's philosophy and Law. It explores Hume's account of what he called article virtues and his anticipations of utilitarianism.

    Chapter 1 Introduction: Outline of Hume’s Theory; Chapter 2 Some Predecessors: Hobbes, Shaftesbury, Clarke, Wollaston, Mandeville, Hutcheson, Butler; Chapter 3 Hume’s Psychology of Action (Treatise II iii 3); Chapter 4 Morality not based on Reason (Treatise III i 1); Chapter 5 Variants of Sentimentalism (Treatise III i 2); Chapter 6 The Artificial Virtues; Chapter 7 The Natural Virtues (Treatise III iii 1–5); Chapter 8 Some Successors: Smith, Price, Reid; Chapter 9 Conclusions;

    Biography

    J.L. Mackie

    'There are a number of fine books on Hume's moral theory, but Mackie's stands as one of the very best. Mackie manages to combine wonderfully an engaged and sympathetic reading of Hume with a sophisticated appreciation of the difficulties facing any Humean account of morality.' - Geoffrey Sayre-McCord, University of North Carolina.