Custom and Reason in Hume: A Kantian Reading of the First Book of the TreatiseHenry Allison examines the central tenets of Hume's epistemology and cognitive psychology, as contained in the Treatise of Human Nature. Allison takes a distinctive two-level approach. On the one hand, he considers Hume's thought in its own terms and historical context. So considered, Hume is viewed as a naturalist, whose project in the first three parts of the first book of the Treatise is to provide an account of the operation of the understanding in which reason is subordinated to custom and other non-rational propensities. Scepticism arises in the fourth part as a form of metascepticism, directed not against first-order beliefs, but against philosophical attempts to ground these beliefs in the "space of reasons." On the other hand, Allison provides a critique of these tenets from a Kantian perspective. This involves a comparison of the two thinkers on a range of issues, including space and time, causation, existence, induction, and the self. In each case, the issue is seen to turn on a contrast between their underlying models of cognition. Hume is committed to a version of the perceptual model, according to which the paradigm of knowledge is a seeing with the "mind's eye" of the relation between mental contents. By contrast, Kant appeals to a discursive model in which the fundamental cognitive act is judgment, understood as the application of concepts to sensory data, Whereas regarded from the first point of view, Hume's account is deemed a major philosophical achievement, seen from the second it suffers from a failure to develop an adequate account of concepts and judgment. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
1 Humes Elements | 13 |
2 Humes Theory of Space and Time | 38 |
3 Humes Epistemological Divide in the Treatise | 63 |
Humes Analysis and Kants Response | 93 |
5 Humes Analysis of Inductive Inference | 112 |
Does Reason Beg or Command? Kant and Hume on Induction and the Uniformity of Nature | 135 |
Humes Analysis and the Kantian Response | 161 |
8 Hume on Skepticism Regarding Reason | 211 |
9 Hume on Skepticism Regarding the Senses | 230 |
10 Humes Therapeutic Natural History of Philosophy Compared with Kants Philosophical Therapy | 259 |
11 Humes Paralogisms | 283 |
12 Humes Philosophical Insouciance | 311 |
Notes | 337 |
| 398 | |
| 407 | |
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Custom and Reason in Hume: A Kantian Reading of the First Book of the Treatise Henry E. Allison No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
according Accordingly already analysis appears applies argue argument assume attempt basis beginning belief causal cause chapter characterizes claim clear cognition complex conceive conception concerning conclusion connection consider consists continued contrast Critique custom definition demonstrative deny determination discussion distinct distinguish effect empirical example existence experience expressed fact follows former function given grounds human Hume Hume’s idea identity imagination impression inductive inference intuitive involves issue judgment Kant Kant’s kind knowledge latter least Locke logical manner means merely mind Moreover namely nature necessary Nevertheless noted objects observer particular perceived perceptions philosophical position possible present Press principle probability problem produce propositions puts qualities question reading reason refers reflection regarding relation requires resemblance result rules sceptical seems seen sense similar simple space succession suggests theory thesis things thought Treatise turns understanding University