Review of Elizabeth Radcliffe’s Hume, Passion and Action

Elizabeth Radcliffe's Hume, Passion and Action is an outstanding piece of philosophical interpretation. Radcliffe manages to attain three often-elusive ends for historians of philosophy. First, she reads Hume carefully and pays thorough attention to the letter and spirit of his texts. Second, she inscribes the author within his historical context, showing the way Hume's problems and solutions responded to discussions of the period. Third, she analyses arguments, stressing their validity and possible value for contemporary readers. Radcliffe's book is notably clear and engages in discussion with contemporary commentators just to the right degree. Radcliffe's attempt to read Hume consistently is especially noteworthy.