I was expecting this to be a hard read, and it was. The first book was the most difficult, as it breaks everything down to what becomes vague notions and ideas that I struggled to relate to anything tangible. The second and third book were more relatable, but I found their value more as a historical and cultural document than as a philosophical one, as customs are central to this philosophy. I felt that some of his conclusions from the same principles would be different in different times and cultures, which I think ultimately undermines his assertions, especially when it comes to the third book on morals.

I feel as though Hume’s reasoning is directly linked to his time and experience, and he would likely agree, and though I know a little about history and philosophy that came before, that he was reacting to, it was not enough to get a full grounding in the revolutionary nature of his arguments.

This is not an easy read, but if you are interested in the history, culture and philosophy of the eighteenth century then it may be worth a read.