Ep. 367: Hume on the Foundations of Ethics (Part One) episode artwork

EPISODE · May 19, 2025

Ep. 367: Hume on the Foundations of Ethics (Part One)

from The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast · host Mark Linsenmayer

Subscribe to get parts 1 and 2 of this now, ad-free, plus tons of bonus content. On David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (1751). What is morality, and how can we know it? Hume claims that we simply find ourselves with sentiments morally approving and disapproving of various things. Characterizing these post hoc, we can say that in general we approve of what brings utility, and this explains the existence of most laws and mores. These may vary by culture because conditions change the utility calculation in different environments. Sponsor: Get a $1/month e-commerce trial at shopify.com/pel. The post Ep. 367: Hume on the Foundations of Ethics (Part One) first appeared on The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast.

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Ep. 367: Hume on the Foundations of Ethics (Part One)

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