Volcanic eruptions are documented throughout geological history and are frequently observed and experienced in the modernworld. Strong eruptions in recent decades have resulted in air and water pollution, acid snowfall, disruption in aerial transport and variousillnesses in humans and livestock. Despite their consequences, these recent events are incomparable to eruptions of a much largermagnitude

This book presents a critical examination of Hume's views on the subject of freedom and moral responsibility. It is widely held that Hume's discussions “Of liberty and necessity,” as presented in both the Treatise and first Enquiry, constitute the classical statement of the “compatibilist” position – the view that freedom and moral responsibility cannot only be reconciled with causation but actual

Although it is widely recognized that David Hume's A Treatise of Human Nature (1739‐40) belongs among the greatest works of philosophy, there is little agreement about the correct way to interpret his fundamental intentions. Among almost all commentators it is an established orthodoxy that skepticism and naturalism are the two dominant themes in this work. The difficulty has been, however, that Hu

Even those who follow the general strategy of P. F. Strawson’s enormously influential “Freedom and Resentment” accept that his strong naturalist program needs to be substantially modified, if not rejected. An important effort to revise the Strawsonian program has been provided by R. Jay Wallace. This chapter argues that Wallace’s narrow construal of reactive attitudes, as they are involved in hold

Although P.F. Strawson and Bernard Williams have both made highly significant and influential contributions on the subject of moral responsibility, they never directly engaged with the views of each other. On one natural reading their views are directly opposed. Strawson seeks to discredit scepticism about moral responsibility by means of naturalistic observations and arguments. Williams, by contr

Recasting Hume and Early Modern Philosophy is a collection of essays that are all concerned with major figures and topics in the early modern philosophy. Most of the essays are concerned, more specifically, with the philosophy of David Hume (1711-1776). The sixteen essays included in this collection are divided into five parts. These parts are arranged under the headings of: (1) Metaphysics and Ep

The philosophical debate about free will and responsibility has been of great importance throughout the history of philosophy. In modern times this debate has received an enormous resurgence of interest and the contribution in 1962 by P.F. Strawson with the publication of his essay “Freedom and Resentment” has generated a wide range of discussion and criticism in the philosophical community and be

This entry is intended to provide the reader with an overview of the central themes and arguments found in David Hume's (1711–1776) contributions to the philosophy of religion. The topics covered include the argument from design and the cosmological argument; the problem of evil; miracles and revealed religion; the natural history of religion; and Hume's philosophy of irreligion and atheism.