david hume

Course Overview

  • The focus of the upcoming tests and readings was discussed briefly.

  • Emphasis on autonomy and personal identity through specific readings.

  • Clarity on testing status: No tests over Hume if not completed.

Test Structure

  • In-class tests scheduled to take place on Monday.

  • Students are advised to bring pens and booklets for the test.

  • Those in the Student Accommodation Center will have the test administered there as per previous arrangements.

Freedom and Determinism

  • Hume’s Influence:

    • Hume's writings on freedom and determinism are foundational.

    • He was a critical figure in the Scottish Enlightenment, which included other notable thinkers such as Reid and Adam Smith.

    • This period had significant impacts on European thought, notably influencing figures like Immanuel Kant.

  • Determinism vs Freedom:

    • Traditionally viewed as mutually exclusive concepts: either one is free or determined.

    • Hume critiques this binary thinking.

    • The assumption is made that if you're free, you possess autonomy and a will unaffected by external factors.

    • Life's choices often include elements one cannot control (e.g., parental lineage), stressing the complexity of autonomy.

  • Autonomy Explained:

    • Autonomy involves self-determination, thus encompassing the essence of free will.

    • Modern scientific perspectives often view individuals strictly as physical entities governed by deterministic laws; this sidesteps the complexity of autonomy.

    • Acknowledgment of various laws (neurobiological, psychological, sociological) that inform human behavior.

  • Determinism's Perspective:

    • If humans are like billiard balls subject to predictable laws, then autonomy is questioned, as actions can be anticipated based on causal laws.

    • Hume emphasizes that humans should not be blamed for their actions any more than one blames a gun or bullet for its actions.

Hume’s Compatibility Thesis

  • Hume argues against the consideration of freedom and determinism as conflicting ideas.

  • Compatibilism:

    • He is known as a compatibilist, asserting both freedom and determinism must coexist to properly characterize human nature.

    • Acknowledges the need for both concepts to understand moral responsibility and social interactions.

  • Philosophical Shifts:

    • The academic landscape has leaned towards determinism, particularly from a