The Study Of Hume' Morality Thought

David Hume (1711——1776) was a famous English moral philosopher in the 18th century. His thoughts of the ethics occupy an important position in the western. This thesis attempts excavates useful inspiration for our country's moral construction on researching Hume's theory of virtue.Hume's theory of virtue consists of inherent morality and acquired morality. He holds the view that inherent morality is natural virtues, which originates from human's primeval instinct and needn't participate in human's behavior, and people naturally praise it, e.g. kindheartedness, self-esteem, bravery, philosophical tranquility, wisdom and cautious. He also thinks that human's capacity is a kind of inherent morality. In order to cope with human environment, people set up acquired morality. Hume'acquired morality has the character of being artificial and mutually beneficial, e.g. Justice, honesty, faithfulness and chastity. These argumentations constitute Hume'particular ethical thought, which designating the relation and difference between inherent and acquired morality, opening the door of evolutional model in virtue and combining traditional culture and contemporary spirit. It realizes the way from inherent to acquired morality, combines institution and emotion initially in social research and enlightens the research thinking of modern liberalism in theory. It is also meaningful in rectification for both modern liberalism and communalism and especially referential for Chinese internal saints and external kings left over by history in practice.