Hume, Passion, and Action

Hume, Passion, and Action
Author: Elizabeth Schmidt Radcliffe
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 243
Release: 2018
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0199573298

David Hume's theory of action is well known for several provocative theses, including that passion and reason cannot be opposed over the direction of action. Elizabeth S. Radcliffe defends an original interpretation of Hume's views on passion, reason, and motivation which is consistent with other theses in Hume's philosophy, loyal to his texts, and historically situated. She challenges the now orthodox interpretation of Hume on motivation, presenting an alternative that situates Hume closer to "Humeans" than many recent interpreters have. Part of the strategy is to examine the thinking of the early modern intellectuals to whom Hume responds. Most of these thinkers insisted that passions lead us to pursue harmful objects unless regulated by reason; and most regarded passions as representations of good and evil, which can be false. Understanding Hume's response to these claims requires appreciating his respective characterizations of reason and passion. The author argues that Hume's thesis that reason is practically impotent apart from passion is about beliefs generated by reason, rather than about the capacity of reason. Furthermore, the argument makes sense of Hume's sometimes-ridiculed description of passions as "original existences" having no reference to objects. The author also shows how Hume understood morality as intrinsically motivating, while holding that moral beliefs are not themselves motives, and why he thought of passions as self-regulating, contrary to the admonitions of the rationalists.

Affects, Actions and Passions in Spinoza

Affects, Actions and Passions in Spinoza
Author: Chantal Jaquet
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Total Pages: 167
Release: 2018-01-23
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1474433200

Revisiting the generally accepted notion of psycho-physical parallelism in Spinoza, Chantal Jaquet offers a new analysis of the relation between body and mind. Looking at a range of Spinoza's texts, and using an original methodology, she analyses their unity in action through affects, actions and passions.

Spinoza on Reason, Passions, and the Supreme Good

Spinoza on Reason, Passions, and the Supreme Good
Author: Andrea Sangiacomo
Publisher:
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2019
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0198847904

Andrea Sangiacomo offers a new understanding of Spinoza's moral philosophy, how his views significantly evolved over time, and how he himself struggled during his career to develop a theory that could speak to human beings as they actually are--imperfect, passionate, and often not very rational.

Passions of the Soul

Passions of the Soul
Author: René Descartes
Publisher: Hackett Publishing
Total Pages: 194
Release: 1989-12-15
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 162466198X

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Translator's Introduction Introduction by Genevieve Rodis-Lewis The Passions of the Soul: Preface PART I: About the Passions in General, and Incidentally about the Entire Nature of Man PART II: About the Number and Order of the Passions, and the Explanation of the Six Primitives PART III: About the Particular Passions Lexicon: Index to Lexicon Bibliography Index Index Locorum