A Treatise of Human Nature (1739-40), David Hume's comprehensive attempt to base philosophy on a new, observationally grounded study of human nature, is one of the most important texts in Western philosophy. It is also the focal point of current attempts to understand 18th-century philosophy. The Treatise first explains how we form such concepts as cause and effect, external existence, and personal identity, and to form compelling but unconfirmable beliefs in the entities represented by these concepts. It then offers a novel account of the passions, explains freedom and necessity as they apply to human choices and actions, and concludes with detailed explanations of how we distinguish between virtue and vice and of the different kinds of virtue. Hume's Abstract of the Treatise, also included in the volume, outlines his 'chief argument' regarding our conception of, and belief in, cause and effect. The texts printed in this volume are those of the critical edition of Hume's philosophical works now being published by the Clarendon Press. The volume includes a substantial introduction explaining the aims of the Treatise as a whole and of each of its ten parts, extensive annotations, a glossary of terms, a comprehensive index, and suggestions for further reading.

大衛·休謨（David Hume，1711年4月26日-1776年8月25日），蘇格蘭哲學傢，齣生於愛丁堡，與約翰·洛剋（John Locke）及柏剋萊（George Berkeley）並稱三大英國經驗主義者。其特點在於重視從“生活經驗”中提煉齣哲學觀點，如“知識來源於印象而非理性”，認為沒有事實可由先驗（a priori）方法被證明。盧梭等後世學人深受其影響。康德亦綜閤他同理性主義哲學傢的觀點創建起“正反閤”的理論。 11歲進入愛丁堡大學，18歲專攻哲學，21歲齣版“人性論”。1734前往法國進修，48年齣使維也納和都靈。1749迴到傢鄉 1763年任駐法使館秘書；1765年升任使館代辦。1767～1768年任副國務大臣。1769年8月退休返愛丁堡。謨的主要著作有《人性論》 、《道德和政治論說文集》、《人類理解研究》、《道德原理探究》、《宗教的自然史》、《自然宗教對話錄》、《自凱撒入侵至1688年革命的英國史》（6捲）等。哲學思想 休謨生活在英國資産階級“光榮革命”結束到産業革命開始的社會變革的時代。這時，英國資産階級已經成為統治階級的一部分，它繼續維持同貴族的聯盟以加強對勞動人民的統治，與此同時，迅速成長壯大起來的工商業資産階級要求對這個聯盟內部的關係作有利於本階級的調整，並繼續反對封建復闢勢力。這時，資産階級的進步性和保守性交織在一起。作為這個階級思想的代錶人物的休謨，貫徹經驗論觀點，提齣瞭以動搖於唯物主義和唯心主義之間的懷疑論為特色的哲學體係。