David Hume: The Great empiricist [2271]

General Information

• Credits: 6 ECTS
• Prerequisites: baccalaureate level or equivalent; proficiency in English
• Learning format: asynchronous distance learning – 100% e-learning
• Language of instruction: English
• Course access: available at any time of year
• Disability liaison officer: Cécile Boucherle

Course Overview

This course offers a comprehensive and systematic study of David Hume’s philosophy, presenting him as one of the most influential figures of the Scottish Enlightenment and a central representative of modern empiricism. Il explores the core dimensions of his thought: the theory of impressions and ideas, the critique of personal identity, and the analysis of causation and induction, which together ground his distinctive form of mitigated scepticism. Particular attention is given to his moral philosophy, where reason is described as the “slave of the passions” and moral distinctions arise from sentiment rather than pure rational insight, as well as to his influential is–ought distinction. By tracing Hume’s enduring impact on Kant, utilitarianism, and contemporary philosophy, the course reveals why Hume remains indispensable for understanding the foundations and limits of human knowledge, morality, and belief.

Learning Outcomes

This course enables you to:

• be familiar with David Hume’s life and major philosophical writings mentioned in this course;
  
• understand some of the key questions in respect to David Hume’s philosophy;
  
• have a better sense of the different themes and issues within David Hume’s philosophy;
  
• understand and be able to express some of David Hume’s philosophical arguments, taking a position over the issues mentioned in this course;
  
• identify and place some of David Hume’s arguments and theories within the broader philosophical project, with particular reference to relevant contemporary philosophical debates;
  
• discover the major concepts of David Hume’s empiricist philosophy, particularly causation, personal identity, and knowledge;
  
• explain the main issues in Hume’s moral and philosophy of religion through the study of his major works; and
  
• situate David Hume’s thought within the history of modern philosophy and understand its influence on contemporary philosophical discussions.

Course Competencies

This course is linked to the following competency:

• Analyse the systems of modern philosophy, from rationalism to Kantian criticism

Course Outline

Section 1: Introducing David Hume

Section 2: Hume’s Moral Philosophy

Section 3: David Hume’s Philosophy of Religion I

Section 4: David Hume’s Philosophy of Religion II

Section 5: David Hume’s Epistemological and Metaphysical Issues I

Section 6: David Hume’s Epistemological and Metaphysical Issues II

Section 7: Overview of David Hume’s Political Philosophy

Assessment Methods 

Course assessment is based on:

• tracking and completion of the course and of all learning activities. These activities, designed as essential practice and learning exercises, may be completed multiple times and are not factored into the final grade; and
• the final assessment quiz, which constitutes the graded evaluation.

Learning Format

The course is taught entirely online via the MyDomuni platform, accessible 24/7.
Learning resources include:

• written course materials;
• supplementary documents and, depending on the content, video resources;
• interactive learning activities (quizzes, exercises); and
• a discussion forum with the course instructor and fellow participants.

Prerequisites

This course is open to anyone with a general level of education equivalent to the baccalaureate, or with personal or academic experience related to the topics covered.

A good command of written English is recommended to facilitate understanding of the content and participation in the activities offered.

Accessibility

The course is accessible at any time, from any internet-connected device, via the MyDomuni platform.
For students with disabilities, specific support can be arranged upon request to ensure equitable access to course content and activities.

Disability liaison officer: cecile.boucherle@domuni.eu.

Selective Bibliography

• Henry E. Allison, Custom and Reason in Hume, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2008.
• William M. Alston, Michael Welker et Cynthia Jarvis (dir.), Loving God with Our Minds: The Pastor as Theologian, Cambridge,
• William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004.
• Páll S. Árdal, Passion and Value in Hume’s Treatise, Édimbourg, Edinburgh University Press, 1966, 2e éd. révisée, 1989.
• Roger Ariew et Eric Watkins (dir.), Modern Philosophy: An Anthology of Primary Sources, Indianapolis, Hackett Publishing Company, 2009.
• Margaret Atherton (dir.), The Empiricists: Critical Essays on Locke, Berkeley, and Hume, Lanham, Rowman & Littlefield, 1999.