logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2
44m 56s

Ep. 368: Hume on Reason in Ethics (Part ...

Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey
About this episode

We talk a bit more about David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (1751), and add some parts of A Treatise of Human Nature (1739): sec. 3 "Of the Influencing Motives of the Will" within the third part of Book II, "Of the Passions," and the first two sections of Book III, "Of Morals."

Can reason by itself motivate moral action? Hume says no: All ethical reasons must point ultimately to sentiments, which we can generalize about, but which are epistemically basic.

Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion.

Up next
Yesterday
PEL Presents Closereads: Peter Railton's "Moral Realism" (Wrap Up)
We are concluding our treatment of Peter Railton's "Moral Realism" (1984), and given that you likely haven't listened to the seven preceding parts, this discussion can serve as a standalone summary of not only Railton's view, but of the best efforts of Mark and Wes to actually fi ... Show More
58m 5s
Aug 21
Announcement: Mark's "Foundational Political Philosophy Texts" Fall 2025 Class
I bet you’d like to have an excuse to read some Aristotle, and Locke, Rousseau, Simone Weil, and other fun texts. Well, go read about this opportunity at partiallyexaminedlife.com/class, and then follow the link to enroll. Not sure? Watch a sample (a full seminar from last semest ... Show More
4m 44s
Aug 17
PEL Presents PMP#203: What Superman?
In light of the new James Gunn film Superman, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al talk about the character, his stories, and past films and shows. Did Zack Snyder (Man of Steel) miss the point? Are the Richard Donner films (chiefly 1978's Superman: The Movie) as good as nostalgia wo ... Show More
49m 30s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
Schopenhauer on Ethics (Part One)
On The Basis of Morality (1840), Part III: "The Founding of Ethics," Ch. 5: "Statement and Proof of the Only True Moral Incentive." Everything up to this point in the book has been negative: Morality can't be founded on pure reason as Kant thinks, or on the idea of the good life ... Show More
1h 4m
Nov 2016
Episode 6, Kantian Ethics (Part I)
Kant, Pirates and the fantastic institute that is ‘the Wimpy’… The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/uncovers a priori moral truths. In this three-part special, we take an insightful and fun-filled look at Kantian Ethics. Follow us on Twit ... Show More
47m 34s
Nov 2016
Episode 6, Kantian Ethics (Part II)
Kant, Pirates and the fantastic institute that is ‘the Wimpy’… The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/uncovers a priori moral truths. In this three-part special, we take an insightful and fun-filled look at Kantian Ethics. Follow us on Twit ... Show More
48m 11s
Nov 2017
Episode 28, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (Part III)
Everything you could need is on www.thepanpsycast.com! Please tweet us your thoughts at www.twitter.com/thepanpsycast. The Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle’s (384 – 322 BC) best-known work on ethics. The work consists of ten books and is understood to be based on Aristotle’s lectu ... Show More
30m 12s
Nov 2017
Episode 28, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (Part II)
Everything you could need is on www.thepanpsycast.com! Please tweet us your thoughts at www.twitter.com/thepanpsycast. The Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle’s (384 – 322 BC) best-known work on ethics. The work consists of ten books and is understood to be based on Aristotle’s lectu ... Show More
26m 31s
Nov 2017
Episode 28, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (Part I)
Everything you could need is on www.thepanpsycast.com! Please tweet us your thoughts at www.twitter.com/thepanpsycast. The Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle’s (384 – 322 BC) best-known work on ethics. The work consists of ten books and is understood to be based on Aristotle’s lectu ... Show More
41m 13s
Dec 2017
Episode 28, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (Part IV)
Everything you could need is on www.thepanpsycast.com! Please tweet us your thoughts at www.twitter.com/thepanpsycast. The Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle’s (384 – 322 BC) best-known work on ethics. The work consists of ten books and is understood to be based on Aristotle’s lectu ... Show More
56m 2s
Aug 11
A Stoic's Perspective on Immigration (Broadly)
In this episode I explore how Stoic principles apply to the controversial and often emotionally charged topic of immigration. Using the Circles of Concern as a framework, I examine why Stoics must care for all members of the Cosmopolis, even when cultural differences challenge us ... Show More
28m 20s
Apr 2021
Five: Prof Will MacAskill on moral uncertainty, utilitarianism & how to avoid being a moral monster
Immanuel Kant is a profoundly influential figure in modern philosophy, and was one of the earliest proponents for universal democracy and international cooperation. He also thought that women have no place in civil society, that it was okay to kill illegitimate children, and that ... Show More
1h 52m
Feb 2023
Episode 116, 'Why Honour Matters’ (Part I - The Centre of Morality)
Honour calls a person to defend their teammates, support their family, and have self-respect. To heed the call of honour, say those who listen, leads us towards a good life. Yet, honour does not bear the marks of modern liberal morality. Honour does not focus on the universal but ... Show More
45 m