L’ontologie de la causalité adoptée par David Hume : un new Hume debate de peu de conséquence pour le monde
Some scholars argue that David Hume believes that there exists a real connexion between causes and effects beyond our perceptions. This way, they are opposed to another interpretation arguing that he would deny such a connexion. In this master thesis, I will show that he rather is an agnostic of some kind about the subject. However, I will also show that this is a false debate, because the commentators agree on all key elements. The work has four parts. First, I will summarize aspects of Hume’s philosophy that are essential to the debate: his theory of ideas, his analysis of causality, and his definition of belief. Second, I will examine the realist interpretation in order to show, despite first appearances, that it is perfectly coherent with the Humean epistemology. Third, I will evaluate its main arguments and maintain that they are all weak. Fourth, I will show that this debate is fundamentally about semantics.
David Hume Philosophy Causality Epistemology Ontology Realism Anti-realism Scepticism