CONTENTS

ADVERTISEMENT.

INTRODUCTION.

BOOK I. OF THE UNDERSTANDING

PART I. OF IDEAS, THEIR ORIGIN, COMPOSITION, CONNEXION, ABSTRACTION, ETC.

SECT. I. OF THE ORIGIN OF OUR IDEAS.

SECT. II. DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT.

SECT. III. OF THE IDEAS OF THE MEMORY AND IMAGINATION.

SECT. IV. OF THE CONNEXION OR ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS.

SECT. V. OF RELATIONS.

SECT. VI. OF MODES AND SUBSTANCES

SECT. VII. OF ABSTRACT IDEAS.

PART II. OF THE IDEAS OF SPACE AND TIME.

SECT. I. OF THE INFINITE DIVISIBILITY OF OUR IDEAS OF SPACE AND TIME.

SECT. II. OF THE INFINITE DIVISIBILITY OF SPACE AND TIME.

SECT. III. OF THE OTHER QUALITIES OF OUR IDEA OF SPACE AND TIME.

SECT. IV. OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.

SECT. V. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

SECT. VI. OF THE IDEA OF EXISTENCE, AND OF EXTERNAL EXISTENCE.

PART III. OF KNOWLEDGE AND PROBABILITY.

SECT. I. OF KNOWLEDGE.

SECT. II. OF PROBABILITY, AND OF THE IDEA OF CAUSE AND EFFECT.

SECT. III. WHY A CAUSE IS ALWAYS NECESSARY.

SECT. IV. OF THE COMPONENT PARTS OF OUR REASONINGS CONCERNING CAUSE AND EFFECT.

SECT. V. OF THE IMPRESSIONS OF THE SENSES AND MEMORY.

SECT. VI. OF THE INFERENCE FROM THE IMPRESSION TO THE IDEA.

SECT. VII. OF THE NATURE OF THE IDEA OR BELIEF.

SECT. VIII. OF THE CAUSES OF BELIEF.

SECT. IX. OF THE EFFECTS OF OTHER RELATIONS AND OTHER HABITS.

SECT. X. OF THE INFLUENCE OF BELIEF.

SECT. XI. OF THE PROBABILITY OF CHANCES.

SECT. XII. OF THE PROBABILITY OF CAUSES.

SECT. XIII. OF UNPHILOSOPHICAL PROBABILITY.

SECT. XIV. OF THE IDEA OF NECESSARY CONNEXION.

SECT. XV. RULES BY WHICH TO JUDGE OF CAUSES AND EFFECTS.

SECT. XVI OF THE REASON OF ANIMALS

PART IV. OF THE SCEPTICAL AND OTHER SYSTEMS OF PHILOSOPHY.

SECT. I. OF SCEPTICISM WITH REGARD TO REASON.

SECT. II. OF SCEPTICISM WITH REGARD TO THE SENSES.

SECT. III. OF THE ANTIENT PHILOSOPHY.

SECT. IV. OF THE MODERN PHILOSOPHY.

SECT. V. OF THE IMMATERIALITY OF THE SOUL.

SECT. VI. OF PERSONAL IDENTITY

SECT. VII. CONCLUSION OF THIS BOOK.

BOOK II OF THE PASSIONS

PART I OF PRIDE AND HUMILITY

SECT. I DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT

SECT. II OF PRIDE AND HUMILITY, THEIR OBJECTS AND CAUSES

SECT. III WHENCE THESE OBJECTS AND CAUSES ARE DERIVED

SECT. IV OF THE RELATIONS OF IMPRESSIONS AND IDEAS

SECT. V OF THE INFLUENCE OF THESE RELATIONS ON PRIDE AND HUMILITY

SECT. VI LIMITATIONS OF THIS SYSTEM

SECT. VII OF VICE AND VIRTUE

SECT. VIII OF BEAUTY AND DEFORMITY

SECT. IX OF EXTERNAL ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

SECT. X OF PROPERTY AND RICHES

SECT. XI OF THE LOVE OF FAME

SECT. XII OF THE PRIDE AND HUMILITY OF ANIMALS

PART II OF LOVE AND HATRED

SECT. I OF THE OBJECT AND CAUSES OF LOVE AND HATRED

SECT. II EXPERIMENTS TO CONFIRM THIS SYSTEM

SECT. III DIFFICULTIES SOLVED

SECT. IV OF THE LOVE OF RELATIONS

SECT. V OF OUR ESTEEM FOR THE RICH AND POWERFUL

SECT. VI OF BENEVOLENCE AND ANGER

SECT. VII OF COMPASSION

SECT. VIII OF MALICE AND ENVY

SECT. IX OF THE MIXTURE OF BENEVOLENCE AND ANGER WITH COMPASSION AND MALICE

SECT. X OF RESPECT AND CONTEMPT

SECT. XI OF THE AMOROUS PASSION, OR LOVE BETWIXT THE SEXES

SECT. XII OF THE LOVE AND HATRED OF ANIMALS

PART III OF THE WILL AND DIRECT PASSIONS

SECT. I OF LIBERTY AND NECESSITY

SECT. II THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED

SECT. III OF THE INFLUENCING MOTIVES OF THE WILL

SECT. IV OF THE CAUSES OF THE VIOLENT PASSIONS

SECT. V OF THE EFFECTS OF CUSTOM

SECT. VI OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE IMAGINATION ON THE PASSIONS

SECT. VII OF CONTIGUITY AND DISTANCE IN SPACE AND TIME

SECT. VIII THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED

SECT. IX OF THE DIRECT PASSIONS

SECT. X OF CURIOSITY, OR THE LOVE OF TRUTH

BOOK III OF MORALS

PART I OF VIRTUE AND VICE IN GENERAL

SECT. I MORAL DISTINCTIONS NOT DERIVED FROM REASON

SECT. II MORAL DISTINCTIONS DERIVED FROM A MORAL SENSE

PART II OF JUSTICE AND INJUSTICE

SECT. I JUSTICE, WHETHER A NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL VIRTUE?

SECT. II OF THE ORIGIN OF JUSTICE AND PROPERTY

SECT. III OF THE RULES WHICH DETERMINE PROPERTY

SECT. IV OF THE TRANSFERENCE OF PROPERTY BY CONSENT

SECT. V OF THE OBLIGATION OF PROMISES

SECT. VI SOME FARTHER REFLECTIONS CONCERNING JUSTICE AND INJUSTICE

SECT. VII OF THE ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT

SECT. VIII OF THE SOURCE OF ALLEGIANCE

SECT. IX OF THE MEASURES OF ALLEGIANCE

SECT. X OF THE OBJECTS OF ALLEGIANCE

SECT. XI OF THE LAWS OF NATIONS

SECT. XII OF CHASTITY AND MODESTY

PART III OF THE OTHER VIRTUES AND VICES

SECT. I OF THE ORIGIN OF THE NATURAL VIRTUES AND VICES

SECT. II OF GREATNESS OF MIND

SECT. III OF GOODNESS AND BENEVOLENCE

SECT. IV OF NATURAL ABILITIES

SECT. V SOME FARTHER REFLECTIONS CONCERNING THE NATURAL VIRTUES

SECT. VI CONCLUSION OF THIS BOOK

APPENDIX

My design in the present work is sufficiently explained in the Introduction. The reader must only observe, that all the subjects I have there planned out to myself, are not treated of in these two volumes. The subjects of the Understanding and Passions make a compleat chain of reasoning by themselves; and I was willing to take advantage of this natural division, in order to try the taste of the public. If I have the good fortune to meet with success, I shall proceed to the examination of Morals, Politics, and Criticism; which will compleat this Treatise of Human Nature. The approbation of the public I consider as the greatest reward of my labours; but am determined to regard its judgment, whatever it be, as my best instruction.

Nothing is more usual and more natural for those, who pretend to discover anything new to the world in philosophy and the sciences, than to insinuate the praises of their own systems, by decrying all those, which have been advanced before them. And indeed were they content with lamenting that ignorance, which we still lie under in the most important questions, that can come before the tribunal of human reason, there are few, who have an acquaintance with the sciences, that would not readily agree with them. It is easy for one of judgment and learning, to perceive the weak foundation even of those systems, which have obtained the greatest credit, and have carried their pretensions highest to accurate and profound reasoning. Principles taken upon trust, consequences lamely deduced from them, want of coherence in the parts, and of evidence in the whole, these are every where to be met with in the systems of the most eminent philosophers, and seem to have drawn disgrace upon philosophy itself.

Nor is there required such profound knowledge to discover the present imperfect condition of the sciences, but even the rabble without doors may, judge from the noise and clamour, which they hear, that all goes not well within. There is nothing which is not the subject of debate, and in which men of learning are not of contrary opinions. The most trivial question escapes not our controversy, and in the most momentous we are not able to give any certain decision. Disputes are multiplied, as if every thing was uncertain; and these disputes are managed with the greatest warmth, as if every thing was certain. Amidst all this bustle it is not reason, which carries the prize, but eloquence; and no man needs ever despair of gaining proselytes to the most extravagant hypothesis, who has art enough to represent it in any favourable colours.

The victory is not gained by the men at arms, who manage the pike and the sword; but by the trumpeters, drummers, and musicians of the army.

From hence in my opinion arises that common prejudice against metaphysical reasonings of all kinds, even amongst those, who profess themselves scholars, and have a just value for every other part of literature. By metaphysical reasonings, they do not understand those on any particular branch of science, but every kind of argument, which is any way abstruse, and requires some attention to be comprehended. We have so often lost our labour in such researches, that we commonly reject them without hesitation, and resolve, if we must for ever be a prey to errors and delusions, that they shall at least be natural and entertaining. And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. For if truth be at all within the reach of human capacity, it is certain it must lie very deep and abstruse: and to hope we shall arrive at it without pains, while the greatest geniuses have failed with the utmost pains, must certainly be esteemed sufficiently vain and presumptuous.

I pretend to no such advantage in the philosophy I am going to unfold, and would esteem it a strong presumption against it, were it so very easy and obvious.

It is evident, that all the sciences have a relation, greater or less, to human nature: and that however wide any of them may seem to run from it, they still return back by one passage or another. Even. Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Natural Religion, are in some measure dependent on the science of MAN; since they lie under the cognizance of men, and are judged of by their powers and faculties. It is impossible to tell what changes and improvements we might make in these sciences were we thoroughly acquainted with the extent and force of human understanding, and could explain the nature of the ideas we employ, and of the operations we perform in our reasonings. And these improvements are the more to be hoped for in natural religion, as it is not content with instructing us in the nature of superior powers, but carries its views farther, to their disposition towards us, and our duties towards them; and consequently we ourselves are not only the beings, that reason, but also one of the objects, concerning which we reason.

If therefore the sciences of Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Natural Religion, have such a dependence on the knowledge of man, what may be expected in the other sciences, whose connexion with human nature is more close and intimate? The sole end of logic is to explain the principles and operations of our reasoning faculty, and the nature of our ideas: morals and criticism regard our tastes and sentiments: and politics consider men as united in society, and dependent on each other. In these four sciences of Logic, Morals, Criticism, and Politics, is comprehended almost everything, which it can any way import us to be acquainted with, or which can tend either to the improvement or ornament of the human mind.

Here then is the only expedient, from which we can hope for success in our philosophical researches, to leave the tedious lingering method, which we have hitherto followed, and instead of taking now and then a castle or village on the frontier, to march up directly to the capital or center of these sciences, to human nature itself; which being once masters of, we may every where else hope for an easy victory. From this station we may extend our conquests over all those sciences, which more intimately concern human life, and may afterwards proceed at leisure to discover more fully those, which are the objects of pore curiosity. There is no question of importance, whose decision is not comprised in the science of man; and there is none, which can be decided with any certainty, before we become acquainted with that science. In pretending, therefore, to explain the principles of human nature, we in effect propose a compleat system of the sciences, built on a foundation almost entirely new, and the only one upon which they can stand with any security.