An enquiry concerning human understanding
by David Hume · first published 1953
75% recommend25% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Short, clearly written entry point to empiricist philosophy, covering knowledge, causation and the problem of induction. Suits readers without formal training who want rigorous ideas in plain, unobscured prose.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2010–2021An enquiry concerning the principles of morals
David Hume
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 32 recommend · 3 mention2 recommend · 32 recommend
2010–2025Groundwork of the metaphysics of morals
Immanuel Kant
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 94 recommend · 9 mention4 recommend · 94 recommend
2010–2026A treatise of human nature
David Hume
Recommended by 12 · mentioned by 2512 recommend · 25 mention12 recommend · 2512 recommend
2015–2025Language, truth and logic
A. J. Ayer
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 95 recommend · 9 mention5 recommend · 95 recommend
2007–2024Rebel Without a Crew
Robert Rodriguez
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 66 recommend · 6 mention6 recommend · 66 recommend
2008–2021Utilitarianism
John Stuart Mill
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 75 recommend · 7 mention5 recommend · 75 recommend
2020–2025Principia ethica
George Edward Moore
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 32 recommend · 3 mention2 recommend · 32 recommend
2012–2025Essay concerning human understanding
John Locke
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 165 recommend · 16 mention5 recommend · 165 recommend
…Meditations or Plato's Republic. On Fate, Alexander of Aphrodisias + Problems from Locke, Mackie Tractatus Theologico-Politicus, Spinoza + The Courtier and the Heretic, Stewart (on Spinoza and Leibniz) Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Hume Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, Kant On Liberty, Mill "Modern Moral Philosophy", Anscombe "What is Capitalism?", Rand The Bounds of Sense,…
on “Ask HN: Best Philosophical Books?” ↗…Meditations on First Philosophy (The Cambridge University Press edition is very good; it's probably worth buying their Selected Philosophical Writings for a good basic Descartes text) David Hume: An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding and An Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals (I recommend the Oxford Philosophical Texts editions) Wittgenstein: Philosophical Investigations (terribly, terribly difficult, but very rewarding)…
on “Ask HN: Best Philosophical Books?” ↗…intentionally, or invent myriads of terms where it isn't really necessary. But there are plenty of writers, particularly in the "analytic" tradition, who write very clearly and succinctly. Try Hume (An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding -- short and high-impact), Russell, Rousseau, Searle, Putnam, or Dennett.
on “The Culture of Criticism – What Do We Owe the Enlightenment?” ↗My favorite passage from David Hume's work `An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding` “Where am I, or what? From what causes do I derive my existence, and to what condition shall I return? ... I am confounded with all these questions, and begin to fancy myself in the most deplorable…
on “How David Hume Helped Solve My Midlife Crisis” ↗…Meditations gripping for the way he poses the question of whether there can be any solid foundation for knowledge and the resulting skeptical worries (though his solution is somewhat disappointing). Hume's Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding is also wonderful. If you find free will interesting, Kane's "A Contemporary Introduction to Free Will" is solid--it was the text a professor assigned when I ta'd for his course.
on “Free Will” ↗Although I had similar apprehensions before I started reading Hume, I have found his writing approachable. For "Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding", I found this edition with explanations of certain words/phrases by Jonathan Bennett very useful: https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/hume1748.pdf
on “Books on Critical Thinking” ↗David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding It showed me that intellectual curiosity doesn't need to be coupled with abstruse language, that in fact unclear language is not a sign of deep thought, but more likely unclear thought. It showed me…
on “Ask HN: Are there any books that changed your life during college or school?” ↗…utility, the notion of the greatest good for the greatest number, it still underpins the philosophy behind the running of most modern cities/states today. 12, 13 & 14. A Treatise of Human Nature | An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding | An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals—David Hume It is impossible [I almost said 'almost'] to cover these works in a couple of sentences, so I won't. At least you should know about them and…
on “Philosophy of Science: Suggested Core Readings and Background Texts [pdf]” ↗…rememeber the title. - the 1632 series (Eric Flint)... see also S. M. Stirling's Nantucket series ("Island in the Sea of Time", et al.), and H. Beam Piper's novel Kalvan of Otherwhen Non-fiction: - An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (Hume) - the surviving words and works of Epicurus, and Diogenes the Cynic - Freakonomics (Levitt, Dubner) - The Gay Science (Nietzsche) - The Jefferson Bible (Christ, Jefferson (ed.)) - The Devil's…
on “Ask YC: favorite books” ↗…into my head. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics David Chalmers, The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory Gottlob Frege, Die Grundlagen der Arithmetik Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding J.S. Mill, On Liberty John Rawls, A Theory of Justice Stewart Shapiro, Philosophy of Mathematics: Structure and Ontology
on “Ask HN: Best Philosophical Books?” ↗The best original source is probably An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, though it covers much more than the point I'm talking about. The point I'm talking about is that, according to Hume, there's actually no reason to believe that the future will continue to be like the…
on “Paul Graham: SOPA Supporting Companies No Longer Allowed At YC Demo Day” ↗Hume - An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Quine - Two Dogmas of Empiricism Stirner - The Ego and its Own Nietzche - All of them, really Metzinger - The Ego Tunnel
on “Ask HN: What are the books that changed the perspective of your life?” ↗Thanks for the recommendation! I will definitely read that. I've no formal education in this area, but have read Hume's "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding", and got quite a lot out of it.
on “Harper Lee has died” ↗…Whitehead that worked with Bertrand Russell on Principia Mathematica. 2) Aristotle, The Metaphysics 3) Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics 4) David Hume's: A Treatise of Human Nature and/or An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding 5) Nietchze, The gay science (meaning "the joyful science") 6) Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations 7) Existentialism Is a Humanism, Sartre 8) The Logic of Scientific Discovery, Karl…
on “Ask HN: Learning about philosophy” ↗…It's a beautiful book that shows how ancient astronomy, cosmology and philosophy were interwoven, with valuable lessons for how science works even today. From the classics I'd also recommend Hume. The "Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding" is short, very well written and argues, among other things, that causality is an illusion :)
on “Ask HN: Which book can attract anyone towards your field of study?” ↗