A Treatise of Human Nature

David Hume's first publication, A Treatise of Human Nature is widely considered to be one of the greatest philosophical works written in the English language. In this work, he attempts an empirically informed account of human nature. This edition includes the complete primary text, annotated and introduced by Angela Coventry.

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In his autobiography, David Hume famously noted that A Treatise of Human Nature “fell dead-born from the press.” Yet it is now widely regarded as one of the greatest philosophical works written in the English language. Within, Hume offers an empirically informed account of human nature, addressing a range of topics such as space, time, causality, the external world, personal identity, passions, freedom, necessity, virtue, and vice. This edition includes not only the full text of the Treatise but also Hume’s summarizing Abstract, as well as selections drawn from critical book reviews which showcase the work’s reception in Hume’s own time. Angela Coventry’s expert introduction and annotations serve to contextualize the book’s themes and arguments for modern readers.