Enquiry Concerning David Hume's Empirical Psychology

Hume is the key link which plays an important role in the western history of philosophy. Some researchers regard him and Kant in juxtaposition as masters which open silently the door of modern philosophy,and Russell calls him as the most important person among philosophers. Hence, there is great research value on his empirical psychology and on his science of human nature which establishes the inclination of epistemological humanism and"awakens"Kant's critical philosophy. His psychologism becomes a theoretic cause, to reject or develop Hume's philosophy.First, this text investigates ancient philosophy to discover the theoretic link with modern epistemology. Democriticus'epistemology and Aristotle's soul philosophy, respectively for the highest level in two cognitive stages, not only can see the seed of opposition between empiricism and rationalism, but also can see simple understanding about mind in ancient philosophy. Contrast with rational psychology, empirical psychology becomes the obvious characteristic in British traditional empiricism, which explains the basic problems of epistemology, such as origin and boundaries of mankind's knowledge and belief etc. Then, this text explores historical development of empirical psychology from Locke to Berkeley, and finds out the inherit of empirical tradition and the theoretic resources, including the basic method of experience-analysis and mental-description founded on Locke,meaning-analysis of conception founded on Berkeley and the reservation of common sense belief.Second, this text studies deeply the basic contents of Hume's empirical psychology. Hume tries to express his philosophical ideal about the science of human nature, and to see his science of human nature as the only one firm foundation for the other sciences with a few but simple principles. Discussing the...