On human nature in David Hume’s moral philosophy

Abstract

In this article I try to show the coherence of David Hume’s views on human nature, despite the fact that the formulae of his statements seem to contradict each other. The apparent contradiction between what Hume proclaimed about the constancy of human nature, which he believed in, and the diversity occurring between communities and nations, which he pointed out, is abolished by recognizing the different levels of expression. This interpretation is possible when adopting a cultural perspective and abandoning the naturalistic interpretation, which usually prevails.