David Hume
David Hume was born on April 26, 1711 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the third child in a family of seven. His father, Joseph Hume, was a noted lawyer, and his mother, Katherine, was the daughter of a noted Scottish nobleman. Hume was educated by his parents at home, where he was tutored in Latin and the classics. He was a gifted student and was admitted to the University of Edinburgh at the age of only 12.
At the university, Hume initially studied the military arts but soon switched his focus to philosophy and the humanities, as well as history and politics. He developed a strong interest in the writings of the ancient Greeks, particularly Plato and Aristotle. He was also heavily influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment and the work of contemporary British philosophers such as John Locke, Bishop Berkeley, and especially the work of Hume’s friend, Adam Smith.
Hume wrote prolifically throughout his life. He wrote and published his first philosophical work, A Treatise of Human Nature, in 1739 and followed this with several other books, including An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, and The History of England. He also wrote extensively on historical, economic, and political topics such as the economics of empire, taxation and public finance, and international relations.
Hume’s work sought to integrate his understanding of the natural world with his observations of human society. He believed that human knowledge and understanding were grounded in the natural world, but that our understanding of the natural world can be clouded by the distortions of our own perceptions and expectations. Consequently, Hume emphasized the importance of hypothesis, experimentation, observation, and reasoning. Hume’s influence was considerable, and he has been cited as an inspiration to many modern philosophers, scientists and political thinkers, including Immanuel Kant, Thomas Jefferson, and Bill Gates.
Although Hume’s work is often associated with skepticism and the philosophy of empiricism, he sought to provide an understanding of the world that was grounded in both experience and rational thought. He was a defender of civil liberties and democratic government, and he argued for the importance of free thought and free inquiry. Hume was also an advocate for religious tolerance and believed that individuals should be free to choose their beliefs based on rational thought, rather than on the dictates of authority.
David Hume died on August 25, 1776, in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was remembered as one of the central figures of the Enlightenment and as a pioneer of modern philosophy. His achievements were far-reaching, and his writings remain influential to this day.
