Essays

One of the leading figures of the Scottish Enlightenment that flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries, David Hume's influence continues to reverberate around philosophical and political spheres. His works on economics, history, ethics, and political theory have formed the touchstone for many of the great minds and thinkers who would follow in his footsteps — from philosophers like Arthur Schopenhauer and Immanuel Kant to revolutionary physicists such as Albert Einstein.

Collected here are 13 of Hume's most celebrated and most thought-provoking works. "Of the Origin of Government," "Of the First Principles of Government," and "Of the Independency of Parliament" represent fascinating forays into the intersection of history and politics, leading the global conversation during a time of tumult and rebellion. "Of Civil Liberty" — one of Hume's best-known pieces of writing — examined the emerging concept of personal freedom that held great sway in 18th-century Europe and that would prove to be a vital facet of social and political development in the New World. Two and a half centuries have barely dulled the impact of Hume's incisive thought.