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A History of Philosophy #5
Historia de la Filosofía 5: De Hobbes a Hume
Conceived originally as a serious presentation of the development of philosophy for Catholic seminary students, Frederick Copleston's nine-volume A History Of Philosophy has journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to universal acclaim as the best history of philosophy in English.
410 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
22 people are currently reading
1074 people want to read
About the author
Frederick Charles Copleston
309 books299 followersFrederick (Freddie) Charles Copleston was raised an Anglican and educated at Marlborough College from 1920 to 1925. Shortly after his eighteenth birthday he converted to Catholicism, and his father subsequently almost disowned him. After the initial shock, however, his father saw fit to help Copleston through his education and he attended St. John’s in Oxford in 1925, only managing a disappointing third in classical moderations. He redeemed himself somewhat with a good second at Greats in 1929.
In 1930 Copleston became a Jesuit, and, after two years at the Jesuit novitiate in Roehampton, he moved to Heythrop. He was ordained a Jesuit priest at Heythrop College in 1937 and soon after went to Germany (1938) to complete his training. Fortunately he made it back to Britain before the outbreak of war in 1939. The war made it impossible for him to study for his doctorate, as once intended, at the Gregorian University in Rome, and instead Copleston was invited to return to Heythrop to teach the history of philosophy to the few remaining Jesuits there.
While in Heythrop Copleston had time and interest to begin the work he is most famous for, his "A History of Philosophy" - a textbook that originally set out to deliver a clear account of ancient, medieval and modern philosophy in three volumes, which was instead completed in nine volumes (1975). To this day Copleston’s history remains a monumental achievement and stays true to the authors it discusses, being very much a work in exposition.
Copleston adopted a number of honorary roles throughout the remainder of his career. He was appointed Visiting Professor at Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, spending half of each year lecturing there from 1952 to 1968. He was made Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 1970, given a personal professorship from his own university (Heythrop, now re-established in the University of London) in 1972 and made an Honorary Fellow of St. John’s College, Oxford, in 1975. He was Visiting Professor at the University of Santa Clara between 1974 and 1982, and he delivered the Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen between 1979 and 1981. His lectures were published under the title Religion and the One, and were largely a metaphysical tract attempting to express themes perennial in his thinking and more personal than in his history. Gerard J. Hughes notes Copleston as remarking "large doses of metaphysics like that certainly don’t boost one’s sales".
He received honorary doctorates from a number of institutions, notably, Santa Clara University, California, University of Uppsala and the University of St. Andrews (D.Litt) in later years. He was selected for membership in the Royal Institute of Philosophy and in the Aristotelian Society, and in 1993 he was made CBE.
Copleston’s personality saw him engage in the many responsibilities bestowed upon him with generous commitment and good humour.
In 1930 Copleston became a Jesuit, and, after two years at the Jesuit novitiate in Roehampton, he moved to Heythrop. He was ordained a Jesuit priest at Heythrop College in 1937 and soon after went to Germany (1938) to complete his training. Fortunately he made it back to Britain before the outbreak of war in 1939. The war made it impossible for him to study for his doctorate, as once intended, at the Gregorian University in Rome, and instead Copleston was invited to return to Heythrop to teach the history of philosophy to the few remaining Jesuits there.
While in Heythrop Copleston had time and interest to begin the work he is most famous for, his "A History of Philosophy" - a textbook that originally set out to deliver a clear account of ancient, medieval and modern philosophy in three volumes, which was instead completed in nine volumes (1975). To this day Copleston’s history remains a monumental achievement and stays true to the authors it discusses, being very much a work in exposition.
Copleston adopted a number of honorary roles throughout the remainder of his career. He was appointed Visiting Professor at Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, spending half of each year lecturing there from 1952 to 1968. He was made Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 1970, given a personal professorship from his own university (Heythrop, now re-established in the University of London) in 1972 and made an Honorary Fellow of St. John’s College, Oxford, in 1975. He was Visiting Professor at the University of Santa Clara between 1974 and 1982, and he delivered the Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen between 1979 and 1981. His lectures were published under the title Religion and the One, and were largely a metaphysical tract attempting to express themes perennial in his thinking and more personal than in his history. Gerard J. Hughes notes Copleston as remarking "large doses of metaphysics like that certainly don’t boost one’s sales".
He received honorary doctorates from a number of institutions, notably, Santa Clara University, California, University of Uppsala and the University of St. Andrews (D.Litt) in later years. He was selected for membership in the Royal Institute of Philosophy and in the Aristotelian Society, and in 1993 he was made CBE.
Copleston’s personality saw him engage in the many responsibilities bestowed upon him with generous commitment and good humour.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 20, 2022
ترجمه ای ثقیل و غیر روان که خوانش کتاب رو سخت و کمی خارج از تحمل میکنه منتهی نگاه منتقدانه کاپلستون و جامع بودنش در بیان مهمترین نقطه نظرات فیلسوفان باعث میشه سختی ترجمه رو تحمل کنیم و همچنان از کاپلستون بعنوان مرجع خوانش تاریخ فلسفه استفاده کنیم
March 21, 2016
Up to volume 5 in my re-reading of Copleston (one volume left to catch up to where I stopped the first time in college). This volume treated the British/Scottish empiricists; three chapters on Locke, three on Berkeley, four on Hume, with shorter single chapters interspersed on the Cambridge Platonists, Newton, and the Common Sense philosophers. As with the other volumes, Father Copleston is factually accurate and usually fair in his analysis of what the philosophers wrote; he's overly concerned with what they thought about God, but the Catholic bias is not usually too intrusive. I will resist the temptation to review the philosophers rather than the book, but I appreciate his coverage of the minor figures who don't always figure in other histories.
January 30, 2025
so much psychology and politics, and the actual philosophy is so dry id rather eat cardboard
June 26, 2022
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)中年才开始投身哲学。他跟培根的理念相似，强调哲学的实用性。在科学和政治领域，知识都是力量。他把知识分成两种：knowledge of fact（感官经验得来的）和knowledge of consequence（假设的，通过理性推理）。
John Locke（1632-1704）主要作品《Essay concerning Human Understanding》，被视为经验主义历史上最重要的作品之一。晚年的《Two Treatises of Civil Government》攻击了君权神授的观念，被视为自由思想方面最重要的文献之一。作者说他是个“very much a man of moderation.” 他是个经验主义者但并不认为我们只能通过感官获取知识，同时他也是个理性主义者，不赞成用情绪感情来代替理性判断。但他也不否定超越界或者神的启示。他（学术和政治领域）蔑视权威，提倡宽容，但也不赞成无政府主义。他的哲学思想没有太多惊天动地的感觉，更多基于对日常经验的思考。尽管他的作品是用日常英文著出，但不够条理清晰（很多模棱两可或者重复的地方）。用他自己的话说，他太懒/太忙。“But to confess the truth, I am too lazy, or too busy to make it shorter.”
Locke是第一个把主要精力用于探寻人类理解力，范围和限制的哲学家。现代哲学中知识的显著地位很大程度上得益于他，到了康德这一分支得以扩展到整个哲学领域。他反对天赋（与身俱来的）观念（innate ideas），认为观念来自经验，而经验来自感官（sensation）或者反思（reflection）。他是英国经验主义哲学的代表人物（但并非这一理念的原创者）。
Locke把复杂概念分为三种：of modes, of substances and of relations. 复杂概念由简单概念组合而成（比如谋杀）。
知识在Locke看来”consists either in perceiving the agreement or disagreement between ideas or in perceiving the agreement or disagreement of ideas with things which are not themselves ideas.”
不同程度的知识：首先是直觉知识（intuitive knowledge，比如白不是黑，三比二大），然后是可被证明的知识（demonstrative knowledge，比如数学定理）；最后是sensitive knowledge。人通过直觉知道自己的存在，通过证明知道上帝的存在，其他东西的存在通过感官体验。
Locke的伦理观和政治理论。自然法律对Hobbes来说是关于权力（power），武力（force）和舞弊（fraud）的法律；而对于Locke来说是由人的理性颁布的普遍适用的道德法律（反映在上帝和他的权利，在人和上帝的关系以及所有人类作为理性生物的平等地位）。劳动使得私有财产成为人的自然权利。文明社会和政府的理性基础是许可（consent）。立法机构拥有最高权力，但它也需要对人民负责（a trust to fulfil）。Locke的三权分立跟通常所说的（立法，行政和执法）有所不同：立法，行政和联邦的（federative）。federative power指的是宣战和制定和平条约的权力。locke的体系里执法权隶属于行政权。
Locke的朋友圈包括Robert Boyle（1627-1691，化学家，物理学家）和牛顿（1642-1727）。尽管牛顿很重视数学，但他的思想体系里实验/经验主义也是很重要的。伽利略和笛卡尔认为宇宙的结构是数学的（可以用数学方法来发现宇宙的秘密），但牛顿不这么想当然，数学作为一个工具/手段是必要的，但其本身不能作为科学知识的保证（结果还要经过实验证实）。
欧洲的自然神论信仰者（deists）他们没有统一的观点，但基本认为宗教真理并非来自神的启示而是源于人的理性。反对者包括Butler。
Shaftesbury的伦理观认为人与身俱来有道德感，追求德性本身既符合人的本性也有利于公共利益（源于人的本性包括社会属性），并不需要通过神的旨意（奖励和惩罚）。他没有Hobbes那么悲观认为人在自然状态下只会追求自身利益，必须诚服于政权的权威才能保证社会安定。Bernard de Mandeville（1670-1733）反对Shaftesbury的观点，认为一个充满德性的社会只能是静态停滞不动的社会。正是个人的恶/自私促进了社会发展，比如人在追求舒适生活的过程中不断发明创造，富人追求奢华生活，有利于资本流动，从而促进社会繁荣。他认为Shaftesbury的观点道德有客观标准跟实际经验不符。有人认为Mandeville的观点过于愤世嫉俗（cynical），但无疑利己主义和公共利益之间并非完全不兼容这一观点在后来的放任自流（政治经济）理论中是不言自明的。
William Paley（1743-1805）以捍卫自然宗教和基督教闻名,其伦理观和政治理论含有（神学上的）功利主义（utilitarianism）。在阐述幸福这一概念时，他说不可能有普世的幸福（因为个体差异）。但可以有一些基本的条件使人们愉快和满足。这些包括exercise of social conditions，exercise of our mental or bodily faculties in the pursuit of some ‘engaging end’(an end that provides continuing interest and hope), prudent habits and good health.
George Berkeley（1685-1753）出生于爱尔兰，曾任大主教。他最著名的哲学思想是否认物质的存在（there exist only God, finite spirits, and the idea of spirits).这一理念有点惊世骇俗，因为常人很难理解。Dr Samuel Johnson的著名驳斥：博学的博士踢了一脚一块大石头说道“I refute him thus.” Berkeley 否认（Locke）抽象的一般观念（abstract general ideas），比如当人们在脑海中浮现一个人（或者三角形）时必然是一个具体的人（三角形）的形象，不可能是具有所有人（三角形）的特质却又不是某个具体的形象。对于他来说，“桌子存在”意味着“桌子被感知或者是可被感知的（perceived or perceivable），脱离了感观的存在没有意义。他的著名引言“Let it not be said that I take away Existence. I only declare the meaning of the word so far as I can comprehend it.”
David Hume (1711-1776）18世纪末经验主义哲学的顶峰。他的自传出版于1777（好友亚当斯密编辑的）。他志在延续Locke的事业，确定人的知识范围。他把认知（perceptions）分为两类：印象（impressions）和想法（ideas）。前者来自感官，后者（前者的拷贝）来自思考和推理。从长远来看，前者先于后者。
意识接收到印象后会以两种方式重现：回忆（清晰度介于印象和想法之间）和想象（以模糊的想法方式重现）。
所有人类的推理可分为两种：relations of ideas and matters of fact。前者以数学（尤其是代数和算数，几何稍有不同）为代表，其定理建立在符号基础上，是确定的且独立于实际存在的事物。对于matters of fact人们无法获得（跟relations of ideas）同样程度的证明（确定性）。在现代哲学体系里，前者被称为分析命题（analytical proposition），后者是综合命题（synthetic proposition）。在数学上我们可以证明，在经验科学里我们只有因果推论（包含或多或少的不确定性）。
Hume对宗教的态度：把宗教看成纯粹的外部现象（无法在他自己内心引起任何共鸣）。他拒绝承认上帝的存在是可被证明的。
著名引言：“When we run over libraries, persuaded of these principles, what havoc must we make? If we take in hand any volume; of divinity or school metaphysics, for instance; let us ask，Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion.”
“Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.”
Hume的伦理观：强调人性里的情绪在道德生活中扮演的角色。他认为理性并不能单独产生行动，所有的人类行为都是由激情（广义的passions包含所有情绪）或者感情（affections）激发的。
John Locke（1632-1704）主要作品《Essay concerning Human Understanding》，被视为经验主义历史上最重要的作品之一。晚年的《Two Treatises of Civil Government》攻击了君权神授的观念，被视为自由思想方面最重要的文献之一。作者说他是个“very much a man of moderation.” 他是个经验主义者但并不认为我们只能通过感官获取知识，同时他也是个理性主义者，不赞成用情绪感情来代替理性判断。但他也不否定超越界或者神的启示。他（学术和政治领域）蔑视权威，提倡宽容，但也不赞成无政府主义。他的哲学思想没有太多惊天动地的感觉，更多基于对日常经验的思考。尽管他的作品是用日常英文著出，但不够条理清晰（很多模棱两可或者重复的地方）。用他自己的话说，他太懒/太忙。“But to confess the truth, I am too lazy, or too busy to make it shorter.”
Locke是第一个把主要精力用于探寻人类理解力，范围和限制的哲学家。现代哲学中知识的显著地位很大程度上得益于他，到了康德这一分支得以扩展到整个哲学领域。他反对天赋（与身俱来的）观念（innate ideas），认为观念来自经验，而经验来自感官（sensation）或者反思（reflection）。他是英国经验主义哲学的代表人物（但并非这一理念的原创者）。
Locke把复杂概念分为三种：of modes, of substances and of relations. 复杂概念由简单概念组合而成（比如谋杀）。
知识在Locke看来”consists either in perceiving the agreement or disagreement between ideas or in perceiving the agreement or disagreement of ideas with things which are not themselves ideas.”
不同程度的知识：首先是直觉知识（intuitive knowledge，比如白不是黑，三比二大），然后是可被证明的知识（demonstrative knowledge，比如数学定理）；最后是sensitive knowledge。人通过直觉知道自己的存在，通过证明知道上帝的存在，其他东西的存在通过感官体验。
Locke的伦理观和政治理论。自然法律对Hobbes来说是关于权力（power），武力（force）和舞弊（fraud）的法律；而对于Locke来说是由人的理性颁布的普遍适用的道德法律（反映在上帝和他的权利，在人和上帝的关系以及所有人类作为理性生物的平等地位）。劳动使得私有财产成为人的自然权利。文明社会和政府的理性基础是许可（consent）。立法机构拥有最高权力，但它也需要对人民负责（a trust to fulfil）。Locke的三权分立跟通常所说的（立法，行政和执法）有所不同：立法，行政和联邦的（federative）。federative power指的是宣战和制定和平条约的权力。locke的体系里执法权隶属于行政权。
Locke的朋友圈包括Robert Boyle（1627-1691，化学家，物理学家）和牛顿（1642-1727）。尽管牛顿很重视数学，但他的思想体系里实验/经验主义也是很重要的。伽利略和笛卡尔认为宇宙的结构是数学的（可以用数学方法来发现宇宙的秘密），但牛顿不这么想当然，数学作为一个工具/手段是必要的，但其本身不能作为科学知识的保证（结果还要经过实验证实）。
欧洲的自然神论信仰者（deists）他们没有统一的观点，但基本认为宗教真理并非来自神的启示而是源于人的理性。反对者包括Butler。
Shaftesbury的伦理观认为人与身俱来有道德感，追求德性本身既符合人的本性也有利于公共利益（源于人的本性包括社会属性），并不需要通过神的旨意（奖励和惩罚）。他没有Hobbes那么悲观认为人在自然状态下只会追求自身利益，必须诚服于政权的权威才能保证社会安定。Bernard de Mandeville（1670-1733）反对Shaftesbury的观点，认为一个充满德性的社会只能是静态停滞不动的社会。正是个人的恶/自私促进了社会发展，比如人在追求舒适生活的过程中不断发明创造，富人追求奢华生活，有利于资本流动，从而促进社会繁荣。他认为Shaftesbury的观点道德有客观标准跟实际经验不符。有人认为Mandeville的观点过于愤世嫉俗（cynical），但无疑利己主义和公共利益之间并非完全不兼容这一观点在后来的放任自流（政治经济）理论中是不言自明的。
William Paley（1743-1805）以捍卫自然宗教和基督教闻名,其伦理观和政治理论含有（神学上的）功利主义（utilitarianism）。在阐述幸福这一概念时，他说不可能有普世的幸福（因为个体差异）。但可以有一些基本的条件使人们愉快和满足。这些包括exercise of social conditions，exercise of our mental or bodily faculties in the pursuit of some ‘engaging end’(an end that provides continuing interest and hope), prudent habits and good health.
George Berkeley（1685-1753）出生于爱尔兰，曾任大主教。他最著名的哲学思想是否认物质的存在（there exist only God, finite spirits, and the idea of spirits).这一理念有点惊世骇俗，因为常人很难理解。Dr Samuel Johnson的著名驳斥：博学的博士踢了一脚一块大石头说道“I refute him thus.” Berkeley 否认（Locke）抽象的一般观念（abstract general ideas），比如当人们在脑海中浮现一个人（或者三角形）时必然是一个具体的人（三角形）的形象，不可能是具有所有人（三角形）的特质却又不是某个具体的形象。对于他来说，“桌子存在”意味着“桌子被感知或者是可被感知的（perceived or perceivable），脱离了感观的存在没有意义。他的著名引言“Let it not be said that I take away Existence. I only declare the meaning of the word so far as I can comprehend it.”
David Hume (1711-1776）18世纪末经验主义哲学的顶峰。他的自传出版于1777（好友亚当斯密编辑的）。他志在延续Locke的事业，确定人的知识范围。他把认知（perceptions）分为两类：印象（impressions）和想法（ideas）。前者来自感官，后者（前者的拷贝）来自思考和推理。从长远来看，前者先于后者。
意识接收到印象后会以两种方式重现：回忆（清晰度介于印象和想法之间）和想象（以模糊的想法方式重现）。
所有人类的推理可分为两种：relations of ideas and matters of fact。前者以数学（尤其是代数和算数，几何稍有不同）为代表，其定理建立在符号基础上，是确定的且独立于实际存在的事物。对于matters of fact人们无法获得（跟relations of ideas）同样程度的证明（确定性）。在现代哲学体系里，前者被称为分析命题（analytical proposition），后者是综合命题（synthetic proposition）。在数学上我们可以证明，在经验科学里我们只有因果推论（包含或多或少的不确定性）。
Hume对宗教的态度：把宗教看成纯粹的外部现象（无法在他自己内心引起任何共鸣）。他拒绝承认上帝的存在是可被证明的。
著名引言：“When we run over libraries, persuaded of these principles, what havoc must we make? If we take in hand any volume; of divinity or school metaphysics, for instance; let us ask，Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion.”
“Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.”
Hume的伦理观：强调人性里的情绪在道德生活中扮演的角色。他认为理性并不能单独产生行动，所有的人类行为都是由激情（广义的passions包含所有情绪）或者感情（affections）激发的。
October 13, 2021
مفصل ترین کتاب تاریخ فلسفه در زبان فارسی به احتمال زیاد تاریخ فلسفه نوشته فردریک کاپلستون است که مرجع درسی دانشجویان فلسفه، و هم مرجع تدریس بسیاری از اساتید آنها، از دوره لیسانس تا دکترا است. دوره نه جلدی تاریخ فلسفه، به قلم چارلز کاپلستون، که به همت عده ای از مترجمان زبده به فارسی ترجمه شده است. مجموعه ای در دسترس خوانندگان فارسی زبان قرار می دهد که تا حد زیادی می توانند آنان را از متن های دیگر بی نیاز سازد، زیرا هدف نگارنده این بوده است که سیر تحول فلسفه را از آغاز تا اواخر قرن بیستم با زبانی ساده و روان برای خواننده تحصیل کرده معمولی بیان کند.
April 17, 2018
This volume of Copleston's landmark series is necessary for completists but is an explication of mostly lesser thinkers (with the exception of John Locke). His analysis of George Berkeley's thought is a highlight of the series, and he cogently argues that Berekley had better elements and motives than his fundamentally wrong philosophy and its influence would suggest. The rest is underwhelming, though it is perhaps impossible to discuss these thinkers otherwise (Locke aside).
October 9, 2021
O sinteză solidă din perspectiva înțelegerii mediului intelectual în care a apărut concepția filosofică a lui David Hume.
December 18, 2021
I haven't gotten any smarter since first reading Hume 21 years ago, that's for sure
August 20, 2024
Simplemente excelente
March 27, 2020
خلاصه مختصر و مفیدی از فلسفه ی هابز، لاک، بارکلی، هیوم و تعدادی دیگر
Want to read
March 15, 2009there are numerous volumes in this series that have the same isbn,
September 20, 2014
A very compendious, but very efficient historical narrative.
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