David Hume’s Theory Of Sympathy

In the 17 th century,with the development of natural science,especially the establishment of Newton’s theory,natural science gradually got rid of the status of theological maid and established its own authority.This change urges people to liberate themselves from the shackles of theological concepts and turn to the exploration of scientific truth,thus opening the curtain of scientific knowledge.At the same time,the way of thinking of natural science is also reflected in the level of philosophical research.In Hume’s view,there is also a kind of Spiritual Science in human nature,which can be explored through scientific analysis.He pointed out in the theory of human nature:“ we must collect all kinds of experimental materials in this science by carefully observing the phenomena of life After careful collection and comparison of such experimental materials,we can hope to build on them a science that is as reliable and more useful as any other science within the scope of human knowledge.”(1)In the field of ethics research,Hume applied this research method based on scientific paradigm to his moral philosophy and advocated the realization of moral reform on the basis of collecting facts and empirical observation.Hume believes that human nature and law can be explored through the research method of modern natural science to explore the essence and law of matter,and the reason,emotion and morality of human nature can be interpreted in the way of experience,objectivity and rationality.His sympathy theory establishes the spiritual principle for emotion and morality,plays an important role in the study of human nature science,and further deepens the development of emotionalism ethics Research.This paper takes Hume’s sympathy theory as the core content of his moral philosophy,and studies it from the following aspects.Firstly,it discusses the ideological background and philosophical basis of Hume’s sympathy theory.From the perspective of ideological source,the controversy between empiricism and rationalism and the traditional emotionalism school are the same as HumeThe theory of emotion laid the ideological foundation.From the perspective of philosophy,Hume’s empiricist philosophical analysis of the concept of impression has become an important basis of his sympathy theory.Secondly,it explores the main content of Hume’s sympathy theory,and analyzes its moral construction from the understanding of meaning,influencing factors and sympathy theory.Hume’s understanding of sympathy is mainly affected by causality,similarity and proximity.He positively demonstrates that morality does not come from reason.By expounding the core function of sympathy,he argues that moral difference comes from emotion,while emotion depends on sympathy,and then establishes the basis of moral judgment.His morality is rooted in his sympathy for the interests of others and himself,which establishes the principle of justice and further explains the reason why people revere justice.Finally,it analyzes the influence and limitation of Hume’s sympathy theory.On the one hand,Hume’s sympathy theory has an important influence on Adam Smith’s moral philosophy,and at the same time,it has laid the ideological foundation for utilitarian ethics.On the other hand,Hume’s sympathy theory has some limitations,mainly in negating the objectivity of moral nature,relying on emotion to make moral judgments,and building the rule of justice on self emotion.