The role of passions in Hume's Essays, Moral and Political

Abstract

Some scholars believe that Hume used the “anatomist” method in the Treatise, and the “painter” method in the Essays. But the “painter” method in the Essays can be further separated into two methods, “allegory” and “history”. Hume regarded the historical method as a more effective way to appeal to his readers' mind than the allegoric method because the former proved to be useful for refinement of passions. Hume demonstrated this in “Of the rise and progress of the arts and sciences” by arguing that arts and sciences, especially the modern gallantry, had grown historically from such particular passions as curiosity and generosity under different circumstances generated by republics and civilized monarchies.