Hume's An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals: A Critical Guide(Cambridge Critical Guides)

Hume considered his Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals to be one of his best works. In it he offers his most elegant and approachable account of the origins and scope of morality. With the hope of reaching a broad audience, he argues that morality is neither rigid nor austere, but is rather a product of sentiments that all human beings share, and which they are naturally inclined to recognize and act upon. In this Critical Guide, a team of distinguished scholars discuss each section of the Enquiry, its place in Hume's philosophy as a whole, and its historical context; their topics include the nature of morals, talents and moral virtues, benevolence, sympathy, and the sources of moral disagreement. The volume will be valuable for scholars and advanced students working on Hume.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Esther Engels Kroeker and Willem Lemmens; 1. The nature of morals founded on the human fabric Elizabeth S. Radcliffe; 2. The pride of Pericles: Hume on benevolence, self-love and the enjoyment of our humanity Willem Lemmens; 3. Justice and politics in the enquiry concerning the principles of morals Ryan Patrick Hanley. 4. History, context, and the conventions of political society Marc Hanvelt; 5. 'Why utility pleases': a surprising source of discord Emily Kelahan; 6. Hume on talents and moral virtues James Fieser; 7. Virtues suspect and sublime Margaret Watkins; 8. Sympathy and the sources of moral sentiment Jacqueline Taylor; 9. Virtue and moral psychology in Hume's enquiry concerning the principles of morals Lorraine L. Besser; 10. Hume, cicero, and the ancients Aaron Garrett; 11. Hume on religion in the enquiry concerning the principles of morals Esther Engels Kroeker; 12. Moral disagreement Lorne Falkenstein.

About the Author :
Esther Engels Kroeker is a research fellow in philosophy at the University of Antwerp. She is co-editor of Love, Reason and Morality (with Katrien Schaubroeck, 2017) and has published numerous articles on the moral philosophy and philosophy of religion of David Hume and Thomas Reid. Willem Lemmens is Professor of early Modern Philosophy and Ethics at the University of Antwerp. He is co-editor of a translation into Dutch of Hume's Natural History of Religion (with Walter van Herck, 1999/2011) and has written many articles on the moral philosophy and philosophy of religion of David Hume.