The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Ep. 368: Hume on Reason in Ethics (Part One)
Jun 2, 2025
Dive into David Hume's fascinating exploration of morality, where reason battles emotion in ethical judgments. Discover how virtues stem from personal feelings rather than objective logic, challenging ascetic practices. Unpack the interplay between desire, reason, and sentiment, and appreciate the crucial role of empathy in decision-making. Contrast Hume's ethical views with those of Aristotle and Kant, while examining how innate instincts shape our moral sentiments. This rich discussion reveals the complexities of merging passion with reason in understanding ethics.
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Morality Rooted in Sentiment
- Hume argues moral virtues are mental qualities useful or agreeable to oneself and others.
- Morality arises from sentiments of approval or disapproval, not from reason or religious dictates.
Reason Guides, Passion Motivates
- Reason handles facts and logical relations but cannot alone motivate moral actions.
- Moral motivation ultimately arises from passions or sentiments, which reason can direct but not generate.
Reason Manages Means, Passions Ends
- Reason decides means to achieve ends but doesn't determine ultimate goals or desires.
- Ends are given by passions; reason organizes ways to fulfill them, never reason alone directs will.
