Death & Character: Further Reflections on Hume (review)

The first half of Annette Baier's book opens up a fascinating new area of Hume scholarship. We all know that Hume wore two hats, as a philosopher and a historian. But what exactly is the relationship between his general philosophical writings and his History of England? In particular, what can his portrayals of influential monarchs and religious leaders, such as Oliver Cromwell or Bishop Tunstal, teach us about his philosophical commitments?

Baier demonstrates that this topic is ripe for exploration. She makes it clear that Hume's History sheds new light on his views about acting in character (ch. 1), personal identity (ch. 2), the ethics of sincerity (ch. 3), practical deliberation (ch. 4), and the dangers of organized religion (ch. 5). Her analysis of these topics is particularly valuable, moreover, in that she keeps her eyes, where possible, on contemporary philosophical debates. She frames her discussion of Hume's account of practical reasoning, for example, against the backdrop of Davidson and Velleman.

Baier's deep admiration for Hume comes across throughout the work. It is, as she might say, a ruling passion. But sometimes this passion gets the best of her. She dedicates an entire chapter (ch. 6) to the mystery, for example, of exactly which of Lucian's works Hume was reading on his deathbed. Baier acknowledges that this issue might not have any philosophical implications; she has not, in any case, drawn them out (110). But this leaves one wondering why this chapter has been included in this work.

The second half of the book is dedicated to more traditional topics in Hume studies. The bulk of her attention is directed toward the familiar puzzle of why Hume came to doubt his theory of personal identity in the Appendix to the Treatise. One might think that all the interpretive options, by this point, had been exhausted. Baier manages, however, to offer a novel solution: Hume came to realize that his denial of real connections between perceptions left the door open for personal immortality (161). (Baier does not explain why the possibility of personal survival would have been so worrisome to Hume; it would have been helpful if she had situated this discussion within the context of Hume's Lucretian project).

Baier carefully examines the labyrinth, as Hume calls it, that surrounds personal identity. Given that this discussion stretches on for nearly sixty pages, many readers might find themselves looking for the exit. Those who stick with it are amply rewarded, however, as Baier offers a number of challenges to settled interpretations of Hume; arguing, e.g., that Hume's theory of mental vivacity supplies the resources to explain what it is that unites the bundles that constitute our individual selves (ch. 8). Vivacity is a mental energy that is causally transmitted from one perception to another and thus could have served as the real connection Hume was searching for. Baier maintains that Hume became increasingly aware of the need to make room in his account for this type of mental causation. She speculates that he revised his definition of causation in the Enquiries in order to make room for it (ch. 9).

The remainder of the book is largely dedicated to the relationship between Hume's earlier and later writings. It is at this point, however, that the collection of essays begins to lose focus. Baier canvasses a number of changes that Hume makes in his later writings. But this discussion fails to connect to the earlier points, and it covers a good deal of material that is quite familiar in Hume scholarship. These chapters expose, in fact, what is perhaps the biggest weakness of the work: its lack of thematic organization. Readers are not provided with enough signposts that indicate where the discussion is heading; it requires a good deal of work to connect the various strands of her interpretation. There is also a great deal of repetition in the book. One gets the sense that the chapters were written...