Intellectual Freedom in the Eighteenth Century

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at commentaries on Hume's works by Vladimir Price called "The Ironic Hume." The writer lays out a few suggestions of ironic interpretation not mentioned by Price, the purpose being to get them on the table for philosophical discussion. It begins with a few comments on the intellectual freedom of the eighteenth century. This was the time in which Hume lived, a time in which someone like him, a man with integrity, wit, and great intelligence, had to carefully choose his words. The writer then examines Hume's Of Miracles, turning to "The Natural History of Religion", and the "Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion" (with the heaviest focus on this last). The paper focuses on certain passages which appear to feature more than the usual Humean ambiguity. Price s ironic interpretations are then examined, which provide material which the the writer claims grasps Hume s intent.

From the Paper:

""Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man" (Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (ECHU) I.4: 452). So David Hume advised anyone who would venture into the deep and perplexing regions of abstract philosophy. Indeed, those trying to interpret Hume's own writings, particularly when they relate to religious issues, must stay on their toes. After reading these works, one realizes that Hume's writing style is deceptively simple. Packed within each sentence, each phrase, and often, each word, are meanings within meanings, deep irony hovering over lighter irony, and grand, major points made around smaller, but no less important, staccato-type ones. Certainly, after delving into the challenges lying deep within Hume's religious writings, philosophers might feel the need to relax their vigilance and engage in some business of purely ordinary human gratification. Hume would encourage them to do so."

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