To "civilization"

In Europe, the eighteenth-century is not only a transient century, but also an enlightened century. Just in such a background, David Hume, as an enlightened intellectual, began his inquiry of civilization. In a long time, there have been different "images of Hume": Hume as a historian, Hume as a philosopher, Hume as an essayist. From different viewpoints, these images conflict and contradict each other, and the whole Hume is separated and could not be seen. This treatise will try to reconstruct the whole image of Hume, as a enlightened intellectual.In the first chapter, I will discuss the rise of Hume's ideas of civilization in the historical and social background. Through the description of Scotland in the eighteenth-century, I want to show the interaction between "ideas" and "society". I think, as an idea or ideology , the rise of Hume's ideas of civilization have some reasons, in some meanings, it display "the spirit of age" of Scotland in the eighteenth-century. Of course, it is not only a negative reaction, but also a passive reflection.In the second chapter, I will turn to discuss the philosophical construction and foundation of Hume's ideas of civilization. Firstly, I will define the meanings of "nature state" and "civil society". I think, "nature state" symbolizes the state of barbarism or savage ,as a contrary, "civil society" symbolizes the state of civilization. The progress of civilization is just a progress from "nature state" to "civil society". In this progress of civilization, the creation of justice and the right of property is the constitutional foundation of civilization, the government is the constitutional guarantee of civilization.In the third chapter, I will discuss the economical dimension of Hume's ideas of civilization. In Hume's thoughts, luxury and commercial economy are important agents of a civilized society. Firstly, Hume appraises the incentive use of desire. Secondly, he thinks, in order to live a luxurious life, people will work hard. At last, in Hume's opinion, there are two kinds of ways by which the nations become much stronger and richer, one is "the model of Sparta", the other is "the model of modern commercial society". Hume discusses the "validity" of commercial society, through the denunciation of "the model of Sparta" and the appraisal of "the model of modern commercial society".In the fourth chapter, I will discuss the social dimension of Hume's ideas of civilization. From Hume's standpoint, a polite society is a sociable society, in which women play an important role, that is to civilize man. In Hume's opinion, the ideal model of a polite societyis France and its capital, Paris. I think, in this chapter, Hume also show the "validity" of commercial society. Just in a commercial society, the network of communication becomes wider and wider, similarly, the independence of human being becomes stronger and stronger, people become more and more sociable, the improvement of commerce set passions and desire free, and make them become valuable, thus as the symbol of passion and desire, fair-sex also become valuable.In the fifth chapter, I will discuss the political dimension of Hume's ideas of civilization. I will firstly define three different meanings of liberty, and point out that Hume only appraise the first meaning of liberty, that is liberty as rule of law and political civilization. Hume differ "barbarous monarchy" from "civilized monarchy", he think, the progress of European political civilization is just from "barbarous monarchy" to "civilized monarchy". In Hume's opinion, government, its authority and liberty must have a useful balance, otherwise, authority without constraint will become arbitrary, liberty without constraint will become lawless.In the sixth chapter, I will discuss two kinds of liberty, "ancient liberty" and "modern liberty". In Hume's viewpoint, modern liberty is real liberty. He thinks, ancient society is a kind barbarous society, there is no any real liberty, ancient liberty is just an illusion , or a kind cruel and inhuman liberty. Hume...