“Commit yourself then to the flames: for you cannot contain anything other than sophistry and illusions.”

This is how David Hume's "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding" concludes, the defining statement of the greatest philosopher in the English language. Hume's arguments for reasoning from experience and against the “sophistry and illusion” of philosophical fantasies inspired by religion sparked controversy in the 18th century and are remarkably relevant today, as faith and science continue to clash.

The Enquiry examines the origins and processes of human thought, arriving at the clear conclusion that we cannot have any absolute understanding of the natural world, or even of our own mind. In every field, we must rely on intuitive learning from experience, recognizing our animal nature and the limits of reason. Hume's calm and open-minded skepticism thus aims to provide a new foundation for science, freeing us from the “superstition” of false metaphysics and religion. The Enquiry remains one of the best introductions to the study of philosophy, while this edition places it in its historical and philosophical context.

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Pages: 304, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm