David Hume’s revolutionary philosophies took an empirical approach to the study of human nature. Controversial in his time, he was accused of everything from atheism to moral corruption; he has since been recognized as one of the foremost thinkers of the late modern period, influencing the thought of nearly every philosopher in his wake. The arguments presented in his writings have survived three centuries of varying perspectives, and have had a lasting influence on the philosophy of mind, knowledge, religion, action, morality, economics, and politics. A Companion to Hume is the ideal resource for the study of one of history’s most remarkable thinkers, demonstrating the range of Hume’s work and illuminating the ongoing debates that they have generated. Comprised of twenty–nine expertly commissioned essays addressing such expansive topics of knowledge, passion, morality, religion, economics, and politics, this collection examines the paradoxes of Hume’s thought and his legacy, covering the methods, themes, and consequences of his contributions to philosophy.

Elizabeth S. Radcliffe is Professor of Philosophy at The College of William and Mary. She has published on the British Moralists and on Hume’s metaethics and motivational psychology. She was co–editor of the journal Hume Studies , with Kenneth Winkler, from 2000 until 2005. She is currently working on issues surrounding the contemporary Humean theory of motivation and its connection to Hume.