Democratizing Humeanism

International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 2010

Our goal in this article is first to give a broad outline of some of Hume's major positions to do with justice, sympathy, the common point of view, social contract theory, convention and private property that continue to resonate in contemporary political philosophy. We follow this with an account of Hume's influence on contemporary philosophy in the conservative, classical liberal, utilitarian, and Rawlsian traditions. We end with some reflections on how contemporary political philosophers would benefit from a more explicit consideration of Hume.

2013

Our goal in this paper is first to give a broad outline of some of Hume’s major positions to do with justice, sympathy, the common point of view, social contract theory, convention and private property that continue to resonate in contemporary political philosophy. We follow this section with an account of Hume’s influence on contemporary philosophy in the conservative, classical liberal, utilitarian, and Rawlsian traditions. We end with some reflections on how contemporary political philosophers would benefit from a more explicit consideration of Hume.

Proponents of the recent movement of realism in political theory have expressed dissatisfaction with the typically Kantian and ideal theoretical assumptions that guide much political and normative theorizing. In this paper it is proposed that these realist theorists could find support for their critique of the Kantian legacy, as well as building blocks for a realist alternative, by drawing on the moral and political thought of David Hume. The paper constitutes a reading of Hume’s writings with the contemporary realist critique in mind. The result highlights four themes in Hume’s thought: (1) The empirically informed approach to normative reasoning. (2) An emphasis on that political theorizing must be conducted on the basis of a realistic political psychology. (3) The critique of social contract doctrines, a critique that is directed at idealistic and rationalistic versions of liberalism. (4) Hume’s account of human sociality and the origins of political authority. Lastly, it is suggested that the fact that Hume combines realism with liberalism makes him of additional interest to the many realists who are seeking to correct rather than reject liberal political theory and who are thus wary of finding themselves too close to Machiavelli and Hobbes, the usual realist predecessors. Key words: realism, moralism, ideal theory, legitimacy, normativity Length: 19 200 words

2016

This article aims at explaining a utilitarian and a realistic thought as the keystones of David Hume’s political theory. For this purpose, in the first section, I treat Hume’s moral theory as the basis of his political thinking. Hume thinks that every person has the natural ability to feel utility for society or humankind to be pleasant, but that this inborn ability is nevertheless limited such that we need artificial rules (virtues) for social interest. In the second section, through some concrete examples, I demonstrate that, in Hume’s political theory, such a utilitarian basis is connected solidly with realistic thought. Hume believes that political theory should take into consideration what is really possible for human nature and for the present social situation. Because of human nature, the real human world can never be perfectly moral. Thus, I argue that the central purpose in Hume’s political thought is not to build an ideal and perfect speculative theory; rather, it is to po...

Araucaria

This essay argues that Hume's political and historical thought is well read as skeptical and skeptical in a way that roots it deeply in the Hellenistic traditions of both Pyrrhonian and Academical thought. It deploys skeptical instruments to undermine political rationalism as well as theologically and metaphysically political ideologies. (1) Hume's is politics of opinion (doxa) and (2) appearance (phainomena). It labors to oppose faction and enthusiasm and generate (3) suspension (epochê), (4) balance (isosthenia), (5) tranquility (ataraxia), and (6) moderation (metriopatheia, moderatio). Because Hume advocate the use of reflectively generated but epistemically and metaphysically suspensive general rules, his political thought is not intrinsically conservative. While it valorizes stability and peace, Humean politics accepts a contested and open-ended (zetesis) political order, one that requires continuous maintenance and revision but does not pretend to any ultimate or final progress or end.

Recently a call has gone up for a revival of the "politics of humanity." But what exactly is the "politics of humanity"? For illumination this paper turns to Hume's analysis of humanity's foundational role in morality and modern politics. Its aims in so doing are twofold. First, it aims to set forth a new understanding of the unity of Hume's practical and epistemological projects in developing his justifications for and the implications of his remarkable and underappreciated claim that humanity is the only sentiment on which a moral system can be founded. Second, by attending to Hume's substantive definition of humanity and its relationship to benevolence and sympathy in particular, it aims to clarify the relationship between the principal elements of the politics of humanity: "humanism" or secularism, "humane" or otherdirected values, and mutual recognition of our shared "humanness."