David Hume: Reason in History (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: David Hume: Reason in History Mark G. Spencer David Hume: Reason in History. By Claudia M. Schmidt. Pp. xiii, 473. ISBN 0 271 002263 9. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press. 2003. $85. This book is an energetic and scholarly endeavour and a welcomed addition to study of the thought of David Hume. Claudia M. Schmidt claims, rightly, "that there have been very few attempts to develop a systematic examination and interpretation of [Hume's] thought as a whole, including his contributions to the various humanistic and social scientific disciplines, as well as to philosophy"(pp.1-2). That is, there have been few attempts to answer Norman Kemp Smith's call for a study of Hume "in all his manifold activities: as philosopher, as political theorist, as economist, as historian, and as man of letters." Schmidt's attempt at that big and useful project is bright and sheds much light on Hume's thought as a whole. Schmidt argues "that Hume's philosophy can be understood more accurately and completely as an examination of 'reason in history,' or as an account of the historical dimension of rationality."(p.6) That case is developed in thirteen, wide-ranging, chapters. The first five chapters—on "Ideas," "Demonstration," "Probable Reasoning," "Metaphysics," and "Scepticism"—give a balanced summation of Hume's thought on human cognition, with particularly interesting discussions of Hume's views on "imagination," "custom," and "probable reasoning." Schmidt sees Hume as a "mitigated sceptic," but does not read Treatise Part I, Section 7, as Hume's autobiographical statement on that topic. Chapters 6 through 8—dealing with "The Passions," "Human Action," and "Moral Theory,"—contain useful and nuanced discussions of Hume on "constant human nature," among other topics, such as Hume's famous "is-ought" passage in the Treatise, Hume on women, Hume's account of the virtues, and conventions. All in all, Schmidt makes a good case for Hume's "emphasizing the accessibility of his writings in moral philosophy" (p.223), writings which aimed "to encourage the development of those character traits which may be expected to promote the advance of industry, commerce, prosperity, civic order, civility, and the arts and sciences, all of which, in his view, tend to further the happiness of the individuals within a modern society" (p.257). Here, and throughout, there is a good deal of attention given to historiography. A guiding theme is that Schmidt attempts to defend Hume from his modern critics, especially those who have claimed to find inconsistencies in Hume's thought. Those debates can be followed in the text and also in the splendid footnotes. [End Page 148] Chapters 9 through 12 explore "Political Theory," "Economics," "Aesthetics," and "Religion." Discussions in these chapters include Hume's views on "this Madness about Wilkes" and the meaning of liberty, the independence of the American colonies, money, taxation, national debt, eloquence, the standard of taste, miracles, deism, and hypocrisy. These chapters are given largely to sketching the narrative of Hume's Essays, Dialogues concerning Natural Religion, and Natural History of Religion, and also introduce the History of England, which is explored in more detail in chapter 13, "History." There, attention is given to Hume's thoughts on historical evidence, the "spirit of an age," the poems of Ossian, the motives which lead us to the study of history, Hume's sources in the History, and his approach to historical characters, taking Joan of Arc, Queen Elizabeth I, and Charles I as examples. Still, there are some tensions concerning the book's audience and scope. Although "intended for several types of readers"(p.2), this reviewer is sceptical that "beginning students of Hume" will stick with Schmidt's argument, even though there is much for them if they do. It is more likely to be read with interest by "specialists in other areas of philosophy" and certainly by philosophers who are "specialists in the study of Hume." The book is also "directed to those scholars in various disciplines outside philosophy who are interested in Hume's influence in the history and methodology of their own field." While Schmidt occasionally claims that her study is "intended to provide a unified and...