David Hume

Overview 18th century Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist. Large part of Scottish Enlightenment British Empiricist Scottish enlight:His ideas and philosophies were widely used during it and helped scotland become more progressive. At the time Scotland was one of th eleading countrys as far as science goes. Other empiricists included John Locke, George Berkeley, and Rene Descartes. Getinto more aout E later

Life -Born April 26, 1711 in Edinburgh, Scotland Born May 7, 1711 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Son of advocate Joseph Home and Katherine Falconer. Father died when Hume was two. Attended Edinburgh University at the early age of 12. -Born April 26, 1711 in Edinburgh, Scotland -Son of advocate Joseph Home and Katherine Falconer (he changed his name to Hume in 1734 to Hume because the English had difficulty pronouncing 'Home' in the Scottish manner. Father died when Hume was two.He was subsequently raised by his mother, who thought him to be a really intelligent little man, describing his as him “uncommonly wake-minded” - Attended Edinburgh University at the early age of 12. It was his fourteen year old brothers first year going, but since Hume was considered to be so intelligent my his mother he was enrolled two years earlier than normal.

Life Continued Moved to France in 1734. In 1754 became a librarian to the Edinburgh Faculty of Advocates. Served as Private Secretary to Lord Hertford, the Ambassador of France in 1763. Died August 25, 1776 at age 65. Moved to France in 1734: to pursue a more frugal life, because he thought he needed a lifestyle change. While in France, he drafted A Treatise of Human Nature (didn’t sell very well) but it provided beginnings of his career as a philosopher 1754 Hume became librarian to the Edinburgh Faculty of Advocates: the jon enabled him to work on his writing, during this time he published a History of England, which gave him the financial independance he’d been seeking. In 1763 Hume served as Private Secretary to Lord Hertford, the Ambassador of France Died August 25, 1776 at age 65 of intestinal cancer Here is his tomb in Edinburg Scotland

Philosophies Empiricism - Knowledge derives from experience. Skepticism - True knowledge is unattainable and the real world is unknowable. Naturalism - The world can be understood in scientific terms without reference to spiritual or supernatural explanations. Moral distinctions are derived from the moral sentiments: feelings of approval and disapproval felt by spectators who contemplate a character trait or action. Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3QZ2Ko-FOg Empiricism - Knowledge derives from experience. Skepticism - True knowledge is unattainable and the real world is unknowable. Naturalism - The world can be understood in scientific terms without reference to spiritual or supernatural explanations. So basically he believed that since true knowledge is unattainable (skeptisim) , and that the pnly way to gain any knowledge is through experience,(empiricism) the closest humans can get to true knowledge is their own experience, and therefore there is nothing else, no god etc. Because of this he supported the scientific method, believeing it was the most accurate way to gain knowledge (naturalism). Moral distinctions are derived from the moral sentiments: feelings of approval and disapproval felt by spectators who contemplate a character trait or action.

Hume’s Impact on Crime & Punishment Raskolnikov’s “extraordinary man” theory. Raskolnikov thinking he could get away with murder. Lutzin Raskolnikov’s “extraordinary man” theory- his theory stems from observation of men such as Napoleon and Newton, using the idea of empiricism. Raskolnikov thinking he could get away with murder: he hasn’t ever observed a murders guilt, so he came to his own flawed conclusion. More wrong than even the flawed true knowledge people come too. He used his knowledge of criminals to attempt to bypass their flaws, “Moral distinctions are derived from the moral sentiments: feelings of approval and disapproval felt by spectators who contemplate a character trait or action.” Lutzin: “Moral distinctions are derived from the moral sentiments: feelings of approval and disapproval felt by spectators who contemplate a character trait or action.” Illustrated by his trying to frame Sonya for stealing money, it backfiring on him and making him look bad in front of everyone.

Work’s Cited "British Empiricists." Philosophies and Philosophers. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. <http://www.philosophyprofessor.com/philosophies/british-empiricists.php>. "DAVID HUME." Oregon State University. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. <http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/philosophers/hume.html>. "David Hume Photo." The Frost Blog. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. <http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/gazette/david_hume.html>. "David Hume (Scottish Philosopher) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276139/David-Hume>. "David Hume (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume/#LifWor>. "Who Left the Gate Open? | Flickr - Photo Sharing!" Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/luckypoet/2463520219/>.