Historical Dictionary of Hume's Philosophy

The philosopher David Hume was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on April 26, 1711. Known for his re-thinking of causation, morality, and religion, Hume has left a lasting mark on history. James Madison, the "father" of the U.S. Constitution, drew heavily on Hume's writing, especially his "Idea of Perfect Commonwealth," which combated the belief at the time that a large country could not sustain a republican form of government. Hume's writing also influenced Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations and the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. This edition attempts a broader picture of Hume’s philosophy including more detail on the elements of his psychology, aesthetics, social and political philosophy as well as his legacy in contemporary topics of race, feminism, animal ethics, and environmental issues.

This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Hume's Philosophy contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 100 cross-referenced entries covering key terms, as well as brief discussions of Hume's major works and of some of his most important predecessors, contemporaries, and successors. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about David Hume.

Angela Michelle Coventry is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Portland State University. Her major area of research includes Early Modern Philosophy (17th and 18th Century Continental and British). She is the author of two books and has published several articles and book reviews in journals.

Kenneth R. Merrill is professor of philosophy emeritus and former department chair at the University of Oklahoma, where he taught for 47 years. His research interests are mainly in 17th and 18th-century British and continental philosophy and American philosophy. He has published essays and book chapters in those areas and has presented papers in a variety of scholarly venues.