31 pages • 1 hour read
David HumeAn Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1748A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding investigates human nature and epistemology, focusing on how people acquire knowledge. Hume argues that knowledge stems from experience rather than reason, and explores the distinction between thoughts, ideas, and impressions. He examines skepticism, especially the notion of cause and effect, and concludes that the supernatural is untenable based on experiential evidence.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding is heralded for its pioneering approach to empiricism and insightful arguments on human cognition. Critics appreciate its clarity and enduring relevance in philosophy. However, the dense prose can be challenging for modern readers, and some find it too skeptical. Overall, it remains a seminal work in epistemology.
Who Should Read An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding?
A reader who enjoys An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume likely has a keen interest in philosophy, particularly skepticism and empiricism. They appreciate questioning the nature of knowledge and reality, much like in Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy or Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.