Projection and Realism in Hume's Philosophy [Hardcover]

In many of his writings, Hume talks of our gliding and staining natural objects, and of the mind's propensity to spread itself on the world. This has led commentators to use the metaphor of projection in connection with his philosophy: Hume is held to have taught that causal power and self are projections, that God is a projection of our fear, and that value is a projection of sentiment. By considering what it is about Hume's writing that occasions this metaphor, P. J. E. Kail spells out its meaning, the role it plays in Hume's work, and examines how, if at all, what sounds projective in Hume can be reconciled with what sounds realist . In addition to offering some highly original readings of Hume's central ideas,Projection and Realism in Hume's Philosophyoffers a detailed examination of the notion of projection and the problems it faces.

The detailed and clever textual analysis coupled with the originality and boldness of many of the core theses ensures that Kail's book will remain both an indispensable reference and a source of inspiration for the future scholarly activities of Hume specialists. --Angela Coventry,Notre DamePhilosophical Reviews