Starting with Hume

David Hume is generally regarded as the greatest philosopher ever to write in English. His contributions to a range of philosophical debates are as important and influential now as they were in the eighteenth century. Starting with Hume provides an accessible, structured introduction to his central ideas. Leading the reader through a thorough overview of his philosophical development, the book encourages us to see Hume as he saw himself - as initiating and implementing a revolution in philosophy. To appreciate the sweeping changes Hume brought about, the book places his project in the philosophical context of his immediate predecessors. These include, among others, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Nicholas Malebranche. In addition to tracing the roots of his philosophical concerns, Starting with Hume highlights his distinctive approach to philosophical problems. It also focuses on central philosophical debates in Hume's day that are still relevant today: causation, free will, the foundations of ethics, and intelligent design. This is the ideal introduction for anyone coming to the work of this revolutionary thinker for the first time.